What are Coordinating Conjunctions?
Conjunctions connect words that do the same kind of work in a sentence. And, but, or and nor are the most frequently used conjunctions. They are called coordinating conjunctions.
Coordinating Conjunctions
| noun+noun | rhythm and music |
| noun + pronoun | Tina and her |
| pronoun+pronoun | you or I |
| adjective + adjective | graceful or awkward |
| verb +verb | hopped, skipped, and ran |
| adverb +adverb | quickly but carefully |
Coordinating conjunctions can also connect groups of words. Ex.
Isadora Duncan brought new life and new forms to modern dance.
The dancer did not trip, nor did she fall.
Definition of Correlative Conjunctions
Some conjunctions, such as both . . . and, either . . . or, neither . . . nor, work together in pairs. These pairs are called correlative conjunctions. Correlative conjunctions can connect either words or groups of words. Ex.
Cynthia Gregory, a dancer, is not only agile but also daring.
The audience likes both her style and her form.
Summary
A conjunction joins words or groups of words in a sentence. Use conjunctions to combine ideas smoothly and concisely.
Practice
Name the coordinating or correlative conjunction in each sentence.
- Dancing involves rhythmical and patterned body movements.
_______________
- Dance is not only the oldest but also the liveliest of the arts. _______________
- Neither music nor drama would have developed without dance. _______________
A. Write each coordinating or correlative conjunction.
- You can either participate in dance or watch it. _______________
- Theater dance is found on stage and screen. _______________
- On stage, both classical and modern dance steps are used. _______________
- Dance steps are created or arranged by choreographers. _______________
- Jerome Robbins steadily and clearly has established himself as one of America’s foremost choreographers. _______________
B. Write each conjunction and label it coordinating or correlative. Then write the words joined by the conjunction and the parts of speech of the words.
- Twyla Tharp both dances and choreographs. _______________________________________________________________________________
- Good dancers must be innovative and disciplined. _______________________________________________________________________________
- If they are determined, slowly but surely success will come. _______________________________________________________________________________
- They must be prepared extensively or moderately for long tours. _______________________________________________________________________________
- Dancers must not object to work nor travel. _______________________________________________________________________________
C. Complete the sentences, using a conjunction or a pair of conjunctions.
- The turkey trot _______ the bunny hug were new dances in 1900.
- In the 1920s people _______ swayed _______ jumped to the Charleston and the black bottom.
- Next, the public danced furiously ______ happily to the Cuban rumba and other Latin – American dances.
- During the sixties, rock and roll became popular _______ accepted.
- Today’s rock music has produced _______ new sounds _______ unique dance variations.
D. Write three sentences using the following conjunctions.
- but _______________________________________________________________________________
- both . . . and _______________________________________________________________________________
- or _______________________________________________________________________________