Conjunction/Connector/Linker

A conjunction is a word or group of words that joins words, phrases or clauses together.
And, but, for, so, because, although, etc. are known as conjunctions.

eg. A good and smart boy is waiting outside.

The man is poor but honest.
Kinds of Conjunctions:
1.Coordinating Conjunction
2.Subordinating Conjunction
3.Correlative Conjunction
1.Coordinating Conjunction:- The conjunctions which join two statements, words or phrases
of equal rank or Importance are known as coordinating conjunctions. And, but, for, or, nor,
also, yet, so are called coordinating conjunctions.
eg. They ate and drank.
They not only looted the shop but also set it on fire.
2.Subordinating Conjunction:- A subordinating conjunction is a conjunction that introduces a
dependent clause and join it to a main clause.
Thar, if, whether, when, where, why, how, because, till, until, unless, as, while, though, etc.
are known as subordinating conjunctions.
eg. As he was not there, I spoke to his mother.
You will pass if you work hard.
3.Correlative Conjunction:- These are paired conjunctions which join words, phrases or
clauses
which have reciprocal or complementary relationship.
eg. Either…or
Neither…nor
Such…that
Whether…or
Not only…but also
No sooner…than
Hardly/Scarcely…when
Rather…than
Either Monu or Sonu will do this.
My parents went to both Hawaii and Bali last year.

Correct Usage Of Conjunctions

1.After 'Not either…' 'or' is used.
eg. She was not either tall or short.
They are not either good or wise.
2.Although/Though…yet(to show two contrary actions/qualities of the subject)
eg. Although/Though he was well off, yet he was avaricious.
Although/Though she was not guilty, yet she was punished.
3. 'If' is followed by 'then'.
eg.If he comes late, then he will miss the train.
4.Hardly/Scarcely/Barely is followed by when/before.
eg. Hardly had she opened the door when/before two strangers entered the house.
Scarcely did he come out of his car when/before a bomb exploded.
5.'No sooner' is followed by 'than'.
eg. No sooner did he finish cooking than some guests arrived.
7.'As…as' is used in affirmative and negative sentences to make comparison.
eg. Janhvi Kapoor is as beautiful as you say.
Alia Bhatt is not as intelligent as you say.
8.'So…as' is only used in negative sentence to express inequality in some way.
eg. He is not so tall as I expected.
9.'As…so' is used to express 'like…such'.
eg. As you sow, so you reap.
As a father loves his children, so does God love mankind.
10.'So…that' is used to express reason and explanation in affirmative or negative sentences.
eg. Harnaaz Sandhu is so beautiful that every young man will wish to marry her.
He is so old that he cannot do any work.
11.'Whether…or' is used to denote a doubt or choice between two possibilities.
eg. I do not know whether he will accept your proposal or not.
12.'So…that/such…that'
Note. Structures with 'very' cannot be followed directly by that clauses. Instead, we can use
'So…that' or 'such…that'.
eg. It was such a hot afternoon that we stopped playing.
He prepared such a luscious meal that we all ate too much.
13.'Such that' is used to denote purpose.
eg. Her behaviour was such that everyone liked her.
14. 'Between' is always followed by conjunction 'and'.
eg. Sima earns between fifteen thousands and twenty thousands.
15. 'Else' is always followed by 'but'.
eg. It is nothing else but vanity.
There was nothing but water.
16. 'But' is used after 'Not' to express contrast/on the contrary/rather.
eg. He likes not Dipika but Ileana.
Not Sourav but Gourav can solve this problem.
17. 'Not/Never' is followed by 'or'.
eg.She has never met him or visited him.
18.'Other/Rather' is followed by 'than'.
eg. No other than he could have killed the tiger.
I would rather have the flat than the car.
19. Comparative Degree….than
'Than' is used after the Adjective or Adverb of comparative degree.
eg. She works less carefully than you.
Tom is more popular than Ricky.
20. Although/Though means inspite of something.
eg. Although/Though he is intelligent, he doesn't understand your tricks.
Note. 'As' is followed by 'though'.
'Though' is used with 'even' to express despite the fact and emphasise.
eg. He hasn't done it, even though she said she would.
Adjective + though/as + clause is used to emphasise.
eg. Tired though/as I was, I did not stop working.
21. If…When
If and when are used to express any future action.
'If' expresses uncertainty whereas 'when' shows certainty.
eg. If he comes, I will help him.
When he comes, I will help him.
Note. 'If' also refers to condition and 'when' at the time that.
eg. If you want to see her now, you must go to her office.
Amit is 16 now. When he is 20, I will send him to Delhi.
22. If:Whether
*In reported speech, both whether and if can be used to introduce a question that does not
have a question word.
eg. I am not sure whether/if he will have time.
Notes.
When both sides of an alternative are given, we use 'whether'.
eg. Let me know whether you can come or not.
*We use 'whether' after the verb 'discuss'.
eg. We discussed whether we should talk to him.
*After preposition and before to-infinitive, we use whether.
eg. I haven't settled the question of whether I will go back home.
She doesn't not know whether to get married or wait.
23. Even if :Even though
Note. 'Even' is an adverb. It is used to emphasise 'if' or 'though'.
Even if refers to incomplete action.
Even though refers to complete action.
eg. Even if I become a millionaire, I shall always be a socialist.
Even though I didn't know anybody at the party, I had a good time.
*'Even' can also be used with comparative to emphasise it.
eg. You are even more beautiful than before.
24. Doubt…if/whether
Doubt…that
*When 'doubt' is used as a verb or noun in the affirmative sentence, it is followed by
'if/whether'.
eg. I doubt if/whether they will help me.
*If 'doubt' is used as a verb or noun in negative or interrogative sentence, it is followed by
'that'.
eg. I don't doubt that they will come out victorious.
Have you any doubt that she will call you.
25. Doubtful…if/whether
Doubtful…that
(Same rule)
26. Till:Until
Till and until mean 'time up to'.
eg. I will wait until/Till I hear from you.
The new timetable will remain in operation until November 2023.
27. Unless
Unless means 'If not' and 'except when'.
eg. You will fail unless(=if not) work hard.
Unless(=except when) he disturbs her, she works sincerely.
28. While means 'during the time that' or 'at the same time as'.
Note. To talk about two long actions that went on at the same time, we most often use while.
Both the simple past and past progressive tenses can be used.
eg. While john was sitting(sat) biting his nail, I was working out(worked out) a plan to get us
home.
While he was in Bengaluru, his wife was in Kolkata.
*While also means 'as long as'.
eg. While there is life, there is hope.
29. As soon as means 'at the moment that' or 'No later than'.
Note. It is followed by a present or past tense.
eg. I will tell you as soon as I know.
30. As long as means 'during the whole time that'.
eg. We can do nothing as long as God is displeased with us.
Note. Both as soon as and as long as can be used in affirmative and negative sentences.

31. Because is used to denote reason. The because-clause usually comes at the end.
eg. People dislike him because he is successful.
Note. After for/since because is not used.
32. As and since are used when the reason is already well known.
Note. As and since - clauses often begin the sentence.
eg. As women were not supposed to be novelist, she took the name George Eliot.
33. Some More Uses of 'As'
a.It is followed by a clause with a subject and verb.
eg.I am no orator, as Brutus is.
She is a fine singer as her mother used to be.
b.It is used in prepositional phrase to cast an example.
eg. In 1939, as in 1914, everybody wanted war.
Keep shoes on plastic racks piled on top of each other, as in a shop.
c. It is also used as conjunction of time to express 'when'.
eg. I saw him as he was getting off the train.
d.It is also used to express 'to the same amount' or 'degree' with complement after the object
of verbs like 'regard, view, represent, treat, acknowledge, portray'.
eg. I treated him as a good leader.
We acknowledge him as a good orator.

34. For suggest that the reason is given as an afterthought.

Note. For-clause never comes at the beginning of the sentence.
eg. I decided to stop and have lunch, for I was feeling quite hungry.
35. So:Therefore
So and Therefore both mean 'for that reason' or 'because of that'.
eg. He was guilty, so he was punished.
Or
He was guilty, therefore he was punished.
36. But:However
When 'however' is used as a conjunction it means but. Therefore, we cannot use 'however'
and 'but' together in a sentence.
eg. He went there however he did not want to.
Note. But, if however is not used as a conjunction, instead it is used as an adverb of manner
or adverb of degree, then it may be correctly preceded by 'but'.
eg. But however you do it, you will find it a difficult task.
But however hard he tried, he could not succeed.
37. Lest
'Lest' is used to express 'So that…not' or 'in order that…not'.
eg. Run slow lest you should fall.
38. Uses of 'That'
a.'That' is certainly used in Indirect Speech after these reporting verbs.
admit, agree, announce, answer, argue, assure, calculate, claim, complain, conceive,
confirm, discover, expect, find, forget, hold, inform, learn, maintain, notice, pray, report, state,
suggest, tell, wish.
eg. I admitted that I was at fault.
She complained that nobody had helped her.
b. 'That' is used after some specific adjectives. These adjectives are —
angry, anxious, aware, clear, confident, conscious, happy, important, lucky, natural, obvious,
possible, pleased, probable, worried.
eg. It seems probable that the world can go on producing food for everyone.
I am confident that I shall be able to persuade her.
c.'That' is used after some specific nouns. These nouns are —
advice, agreement, argument, belief, claim, conclusion, decision, dream, expectation,
feeling, hope, promise, reply, report, rule, saying, sense, statement, thought, threat,
understanding, wish.
eg. She sees the dream that she will become an IAS.
He expressed the feeling that he wanted to serve the nation.
d.'That' is used in the beginning of the clauses that come as a complement after
be(is/am/are/was/were).
eg. The rule was that nobody could stay at the club at night.
The position of the match is that India has scored two hundred runs in forty two overs.
e. 'That' is used in the clause that show purpose as 'so that' or 'in order that'.
Kohli worked very hard that he might win the match.