Conjunctions and Prepositions
A conjunction is a connector word; it connects words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence. A preposition is a relationship word; it shows the relationship between two nearby words.
Keep in Mind…
A clause is a phrase that has a subject and a verb.
Some clauses are independent. An independent clause can stand alone.
Some clauses are dependent. A dependent clause relies on another clause in order to make sense.
Conjunctions
A conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses.
And, so, and or are conjunctions.
Types of Conjunctions
- Coordinating conjunctions connect two words, phrases, or independent clauses. The full list of coordinating conjunctions is: and, or, but, so, for, nor, yet.
- Subordinating conjunctions connect a main (independent) clause and a dependent clause. The conjunction may show a relationship or time order for the two clauses. Some subordinating conjunctions are: after, as soon as, once, if, even though, unless.
- Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together to connect two words or phrases. Some correlative conjunctions are: either/or, neither/nor, as/as.
| Example | Conjunction | What it is connecting |
|---|---|---|
| Verdi, Mozart, and Wagner are famous opera composers. | and | three nouns |
| Would you like angel food cake, chocolate lava cake, or banana cream pie for dessert? | or | three noun phrases |
| I took the bus to work, but I walked home. | but | two independent clauses |
| It was noisy at home, so we went to the library. | so | two independent clauses |
| They have to clean the house before the realtor shows it. | before | a main clause and a dependent clause |
| Use either hers or mine. | either/or | two pronouns |
| After everyone leaves, make sure you lock up. | after | a main clause and a dependent clause |
| I’d rather fly than take the train. | rather/than | two verb phrases |
Did You Know?
In the last example above, “Whoopee!” is an interjection. An interjection is a short phrase or clause that communicates emotion.
Some other interjections are:
- Way to go!
- Yuck.
- Hooray!
- Holy cow!
- Oops!
Prepositions
Keep in Mind…
Some prepositions are more than one word. On top of and instead of are prepositions.
A preposition shows the relationship between two nearby words. Prepositions help to tell information such as direction, location, and time. To, for, and with are prepositions.
| Example | Preposition | What it tells us |
|---|---|---|
| The desk is in the classroom. | in | location |
| We’ll meet you at 6:00. | at | time |
| We’ll meet you at the museum. | at | place |
| The book is on top of the desk. | on top of | location |
Prepositional Phrases
A preposition must be followed by an object of the preposition. This can be a noun or something that serves as a noun, such as a pronoun or a gerund.
Did You Know?
A gerund is the -ing form a verb that serves as a noun. Hiking is a gerund in this sentence:
I wear these shoes for hiking.
A prepositional phrase is a preposition plus the object that follows it.
Look for the prepositional phrases in the following examples. Note that a sentence can have more than one prepositional phrase.
Be Careful!
Sometimes a word looks like a preposition but is actually part of the verb. In this case, the verb is called a phrasal verb, and the preposition-like word is called a particle. Here is an example:
- Turn on the light. (Turn on has a meaning of its own; it is a phrasal verb. On is a particle here, rather than a preposition.)
- Turn on that street. (On that street shows location; it is a prepositional phrase. On is a preposition here.)
| Example | Preposition | Object of the preposition |
|---|---|---|
| The tiny country won the war against all odds. | against | all odds |
| Look at us! | at | us |
| Why don’t we go swimming instead of sweating in this heat? | instead of; in | sweating; this heat |
| Aunt Tea kept the trophy on a shelf of the cabinet between the sofas in the living room. | on; of; between; in | a shelf; the cabinet; the sofas; the living room |
Let’s Review!
- A conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses. And, so, and or are conjunctions.
- A preposition shows the relationship between two nearby words. To, for, and with are prepositions.
- A prepositional phrase includes a preposition plus the object of the preposition.
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