Questions tagged [conjunctions]

Conjunctions are words used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause, such as "and," "but," and "if."

Conjunctions are a small class of words serving as connectors between words, phrases, clauses, or sentences.

Conjunctions can be considered to include phrases (e.g., as well as), coordinating conjunctions (e.g., or), correlative conjunctions (e.g., either... or), and subordinating conjunctions (e.g., whether).

Questions that fit this tag often ask about how to use a specific conjunction, compare two conjunctions, or ask about the placement of a conjunction in a sentence.

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1097 questions
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Is saying "but nevertheless..." redundant?

I've heard in many places, educated people saying "but nevertheless...". I think both but and nevertheless have the play the same role. Is their combination, as to emphasize that what follows is opposes to the previous statement(s), allowed? Is it…
c.p.
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What does "but" imply in this sentence?

From the very second paragraph of "Foundation" by Isaac Asimov: There were nearly twenty-five million inhabited planets in the Galaxy then, and not one but owed allegiance to the Empire whose seat was on Trantor. I presume he means that they all…
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Can "albeit" ever be followed by a complete sentence

"Albeit" can be followed by adverbs, adjectives, and nouns that are used in a adjectival manner: The journey was fun, albeit short I decided to change my major, albeit reluctantly It was a fun journey, albeit a protracted one She accepted the…
shuhalo
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Can I use "but" at the beginning of a sentence?

For a while, using but to start a sentence was largely frowned upon. But, I think it is possible to use but at the beginning of a sentence, as long as it isn't overused. Am I right?
bobobobo
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"for" or "because"?

Consider the following fill-in: Mackenzie's clarinet squealed like a startled puppy, __ she hadn't practiced in weeks. because for The presentation I'm looking at indicates "for" as the correct solution. To me, "because" also sounds fine, but I…
rschwieb
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"faux conjunction"

I am looking at a computerized sample question and solution from a university writing improvement center. True or false. The following sentence is punctuated correctly. Carl Jung was born in Switzerland in 1875 and died in 1961, at first, he was a…
rschwieb
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"one of A and B" or "one of A or B"?

Suppose I have two events A and B, and I want to say that exactly one of them will occur. Which of the following is grammatically correct: "Exactly one of A or B occurs." "Exactly one of A and B occurs." Doing a search for this question online…
Gabe
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Why can 'so' be a conjunction, but not 'hence', 'therefore', 'thus', ...?

While so can be an adverb or a conjunction, as the latter, it can mean 'therefore': see ODO Definition 1. Yet why did ^synonyms of so fail to become conjunctions as well? ^Footnote: 'hence', 'therefore', 'thus', and other 'final or illative…
user50720
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"With all that said" in spoken English, contradict or not?

I know "with that said" or "that being said" or "having said that" can be used as an alternative to "though" in written English, to introduce something that will contradict what has been previously said. As explained here:…
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Can we drop repetitive conjunctions, such as in "if X and if Y"?

I wonder if we join two sentences with the same conjunctions (if, when, because, etc.), can we use the conjunction only once in the combined sentence? For example, if I combine the two sentences below: A.We will go out if it does not rain. + We will…
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Alternatives for "which is .." or "which can be ..." in scientific papers

I am trying to write an article and I find myself often using the phrases such as: ... is the thing which is ... ... is the thing which can be used for ... Is there any alternative patterns for this usage for scientific papers, by separating…
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1 answer

How to use 'as well as' and 'even'?

When I was doing my English homework, I came across this question: In his research paper Dr Brown suggests that snacking, if done properly, makes people healthier and __ helps control weight. A. as well as       B. namely       C. even       D.…
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Placing "If-then" among conjunctions

The "conditional if" plays a role of a subordinating conjunction. While I haven't found a source to say so, I gather that this may be freely paired with "then" in the standard "if-then" clause. The correct comma punctuation would seem to be: If…
rschwieb
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4
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reasons that justify a statement as distinct from giving a reason for it

Microsoft® Encarta® 2009 reads as follows Because and for are both used to introduce reasons that justify a statement as distinct from giving a reason for it: You must have forgotten to invite them, because they didn't turn up. He blushed, for he…
GJC
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Combination of independent clauses containing quantities

The Zaragoza-Ysleta International Bridge in El Paso, Texas, is one of the 330 ports of entry where customs officials inspect the more than 350 million travelers and 100 million vehicles, trains, and aircraft entering and exiting the U.S. every…
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