CONJUNCTIONS AND INTERJECTIONS 
A conjunction is a word that joins words, phrases and sentences.
Examples:
1. Two and two make four.
2. Neither George nor his friend is present today.
3. She bought a red pen and a blue pencil.
3. She bought a red pen and a blue pencil.
4. You can go either by bus or by train.
5. He will be in the library or in the garden.
6. Work hard or you will fail.
7. The train comes at 2 o'clock and it leaves an hour later.
In these sentences the words in the italics are joining words.
In the first sentence the conjunction and joins two nouns, two and two.
In the third sentence and joins two noun phrases, a red pen and a blue pencil. And in the last sentence the conjunction and joins two sentences,
The train comes at 2 o'clock and It leaves an hour later. Thus a conjunction may join words, phrases and sentences.
KINDS OF CONJUNCTIONS
1. I have purchased a new table and a few chairs.
The train comes at 2 o'clock and It leaves an hour later. Thus a conjunction may join words, phrases and sentences.
KINDS OF CONJUNCTIONS
(a) Coordinating conjunctions.
1. I have purchased a new table and a few chairs.
2. He is strong and healthy.
3. Write your answers neatly and briefly.
4. His speech was long but interesting.
5. The manager as well as his assistant was absent.
6. She may go today or tomorrow.
7. I received a letter from him a week ago but I have not
replied to it yet.
The words italicized in these sentences are all coordinating conjunctions.
In the first sentence and joins two noun phrases a new table and a few chairs.
In the second sentence it joins two adjectives, strong and healthy.
In the third sentence it connects two adverbs, neatly and briefly.
In the second sentence it joins two adjectives, strong and healthy.
In the third sentence it connects two adverbs, neatly and briefly.
In sentence 7 the conjunction but joins two main clauses. These clauses are of equal rank and are called coordinate clauses. Such conjunctions are called coordinate conjunctions. Briefly then, coordinating conjunctions join two words, phrases or clauses of the same grammatical class. Some coordinating conjunctions
and but
for still
only or
yet neither....nor
no either....or
neither both...and
Not only .....but ...also
Otherwise.
and but
for still
only or
yet neither....nor
no either....or
neither both...and
Not only .....but ...also
Otherwise.
Examples:
1. God created man , birds and beasts. (joining noun)
2. The brother and the sister sat together at the table.
3. The boy is tall and handsome. (joining adjectives)
4. He spoke well and to the point. (joining adverbs)
5. The mother got into the bus and the children followed her. (joining two main clauses with different subjects).
5. The mother got into the bus and the children followed her. (joining two main clauses with different subjects).
6. We ran after the pickpocket and caught him. (joining two
main clauses with the same subject).
7. Fly now and pay later.
8. He learnt to speak and write English at an early age.
9. You can come with me in the car but not your dog.
10. The boy is intelligent but lazy.
10. The boy is intelligent but lazy.
11. He talked politely but firmly.
12. She smiled but did not talk.
13. She has come but I haven't met her so far.
14. Will you have tea or coffee?
12. She smiled but did not talk.
13. She has come but I haven't met her so far.
14. Will you have tea or coffee?
15. Don't you recognize me or are you pretending?
16. There is no table nor any chair here.
17. He has not come today, nor has he sent any application.
18. He has not come today, neither has he sent any
application.
19. She recognized me, still she didn't talk to me.
20. He is rich, yet he is generous.
21. There was no one there, so we came away.
22. Run away, otherwise they will kill you.
23. I would gladly help you, only I don't have money with me at the moment.
24. The stranger understood neither Swahili nor English.
25. He is neither dumb nor deaf. He is only pretending.
26. She neither sang nor danced at the party.
27. You can either replace the book or pay its cost.
28. He was both surprised and pleased to see me.
29. Both America and England are capitalist countries.
30. Some colleges accept not only cash but also cheques.
(b) Subordinating conjunctions.
Subordinating conjunctions are used to join the main clause and a subordinate clause. These conjunctions are placed at the head of the subordinate clause.
Examples:
1. He told me that he had got a good job.
Examples:
1. He told me that he had got a good job.
2. I don't know where he has kept it.
3. Father asked me why I was so late.
4. He came why the party was over.
A poet reaches where no one else can reach.
The words in bold in the sentences given above introduce subordinate clauses(noun and adverb clause) and are therefore known as subordinate conjunctions.
A poet reaches where no one else can reach.
The words in bold in the sentences given above introduce subordinate clauses(noun and adverb clause) and are therefore known as subordinate conjunctions.
A Examples of subordinating conjunctions are:
that. whenever. whether, even if
as long as. before.
because. wherever. why
how. after as. until though. where as soon as
in order that.
when.
while
no sooner....than than. if as though as as
much as. lest.
although Incase though..yet so that since
till unless so that since scarcely........when
Examples:
1. You can walk into our house whenever you like.
3. As the teacher moved out of the class-room, the students began to make noise. (Time)
4. Lock all the doors carefully before you leave the office.
5. He served us ice-cream after we had had our dinner.
17. You have made such a big mistake that I can't forgive you this time.
18. I will go if you want me to.
23. Nothing is purer that the love of a mother.
24. Will you do as I tell you? (Manner).
26. You have nothing to fear as long as you are here.
27. No sooner did the match end than the crowd rushed into the playground.
SENTENCE CONNECTIVES
Look at the following examples:
1. We were getting late. so we decided to take a scooter.
2. It's dark and you can't go out moreover
Examples:
1. He remained absent for a whole month.
3. It must rain in the next fifteen days. otherwise, there would be a famine.
4. Not all snakes are poisonous. On the contrary some of them have been found to be useful.
Alas! He has left us.
Buh! That's nonsense!
Oh! So you are the trouble-maker.
Alas, Buh, Oh are sounds that express sudden feelings of regret, anger and surprise.
Other interjections are:
Hurrah!(for joy)
Oh! Alas! Alas! (for regret. grief)
Atut-tut, boosh, pooh (for impatience, contempt, rebuke).
eh (for surprise)
wow(for admiration and wonder).
Abravo(for approval).
hey(for calling attention expressing surprise).
Examples:
1. You can walk into our house whenever you like.
2. Dry your clothes whilee the sun is still strong.
3. As the teacher moved out of the class-room, the students began to make noise. (Time)
4. Lock all the doors carefully before you leave the office.
5. He served us ice-cream after we had had our dinner.
6. They have been very miserable since their father died. (Time)
7. The car won't start untill you push it. 8. I found my spectacles where I had left them.
9. The leader was cheered whenever he went.
7. The car won't start untill you push it. 8. I found my spectacles where I had left them.
9. The leader was cheered whenever he went.
10. I can't stay long because I have to catch a train.
11. since you know him you could speak to him about me.
(Reason)
12. As he likes you, he might help you. (Reason)
13. Mother was happy that I had prepared such a fine dish.
(Reason)
14. We eat so so that we may live. (Purpose)
15. He came in quietly lest his father should know.
16. John behaved so foolishly that every one laughed.(Result)
11. since you know him you could speak to him about me.
(Reason)
12. As he likes you, he might help you. (Reason)
13. Mother was happy that I had prepared such a fine dish.
(Reason)
14. We eat so so that we may live. (Purpose)
15. He came in quietly lest his father should know.
16. John behaved so foolishly that every one laughed.(Result)
17. You have made such a big mistake that I can't forgive you this time.
18. I will go if you want me to.
19. He won't come unless you invite him.
20. Children must study whether they like it or not.
21. Although he is thin, he won the race easily.
21. Although he is thin, he won the race easily.
22. I like her as much as you do.
23. Nothing is purer that the love of a mother.
24. Will you do as I tell you? (Manner).
25. I took a taxi as soon as I received your message.
26. You have nothing to fear as long as you are here.
27. No sooner did the match end than the crowd rushed into the playground.
28. He had scarscely started speaking when the audience began throwing old shoes at him.
29. Every cinema has a diesel generator for use, in case the electricity fails.
30. They won't hear you even if you shout at the top of your voice.
SENTENCE CONNECTIVES
Look at the following examples:
1. We were getting late. so we decided to take a scooter.
2. It's dark and you can't go out moreover
it is raining
In these examples so and moreover have been used to join sentences.
In the first example, so refers to the effect of being late.
In the second, moreover is used to say something additional We call such words sentence connectives.
Sentence connectives are employed to connect sentences or ideas in a continuous piece of writing.
Examples:
1. He remained absent for a whole month.
Hence his name was struck off the rolls.
2. They wouldn't accept our demands. Therefore we must fight for them.
3. It must rain in the next fifteen days. otherwise, there would be a famine.
4. Not all snakes are poisonous. On the contrary some of them have been found to be useful.
5. We entirely agree with you on this issue. , however, there is one small objection.
6. I don't think we should see the Minister right now. And in any case he will be out of town during the next few days.
Some other sentence connectives.
Otherwise, as such, but, accordingly, in spite of, on the contrary, on the other hand, for example, besides, similarly, in addition nevertheless etc.
INTERJECTIONS
An interjection is a word that we use to express some feeling of the mind. An Interjection is not connected with other words in the sentence but stands by itself.
Examples:
Examples:
Alas! He has left us.
Buh! That's nonsense!
Oh! So you are the trouble-maker.
Alas, Buh, Oh are sounds that express sudden feelings of regret, anger and surprise.
Other interjections are:
Hurrah!(for joy)
Oh! Alas! Alas! (for regret. grief)
Atut-tut, boosh, pooh (for impatience, contempt, rebuke).
eh (for surprise)
wow(for admiration and wonder).
Abravo(for approval).
hey(for calling attention expressing surprise).
Tags:
Grammar