What do these words have in common?  And  After  Before  Since  But  Although  How  Than  Or  As  If  Though  Yet  Because  Once  Until

GRAMMAR ROCK!  m/watch?v=eZqI5b5w GA4 m/watch?v=eZqI5b5w GA4 m/watch?v=eZqI5b5w GA4

What is a conjunction? Tell your neighbor what you think a conjunction is: ________________________

A CONJUNCTION is a word that joins words or groups of words. Some conjunctions, called coordinating conjunctions, link words or independent clauses.  The giant and the troll gossiped about Rumpelstiltskin.  The giant likes to eat honey and vinegar sandwiches.  The dwarfs loved dancing on rooftops and singing to the stars.  The elf ran home, for he had forgotten the map to the treasure.  The queen promised to give Rumpelstiltskin a pardon, yet she smiled a cold and suspicious smile.  Jack took the cow to town, and he sold it for five beans.  Jack’s mother took the beans, but she was unhappy.

Other conjunctions are called subordinating conjunctions; they introduce clauses. Here are some subordinating conjunctions that introduce adverbial clauses:  Time: after, as, before, since, until, when, whenever, while  Cause/reason: as, because, since, whereas  Purpose/result: that, in order that, so that  Condition: although, even though, unless, if, provided that, while  After the rain stopped, the giant jumped in the puddles.  Because the troll ran out of money, he had to charge a toll on his bridge.  So that she could continue to be the fairest in the land, the evil queen gave Snow White the apple.  Although she foiled Rumpelstiltskin’s plans, the weaver’s daughter avoided straw-filled rooms for the rest of her life.

Another kind of conjunction is called a correlative conjunction. Correlative conjunctions are ALWAYS seen in pairs. Here are some common pairs of correlating conjunctions:  Both… and  Either… or  Neither… nor  Not only… but also  Whether… or  Both the Wizard of Oz and Harry Potter are characters from well-known books.  Either the giant or the troll will be first in line at the mud pie eating contest.  Neither the dwarfs nor the local doctor could awaken Briar Rose from her deep sleep.  The elves brought not only moonbeam tea but also sweet ambrosia.  The giant exclaimed, “Whether you’re ready or not, I’m coming to find you!”  Using conjunctions allows you to keep from writing a bunch of short, choppy sentences. When you use conjunctions, you make your sentences more interesting, and you pull ideas together.

FANBOYS (the most common conjunctions)  For  And  Nor  But  Or  Yet  So

Combining sentences with coordinating conjunctions:  The evil queen went sailing. The troll went sailing.  The evil queen and the troll went sailing.  The elf bought roller skates. The dwarf bought a skateboard.  The elf bought roller skates, and the dwarf bought a skateboard.

YOUR TURN!  The mermaid dove deeply. Her sister chased after small fish.  Baba Yaga lit the candles. Her cat slept in the corner.  The elf smiled. She said nothing.  Harry Potter phoned home. No one answered his call.  The kind told the ogre, “You can stay. You can go home.”

Creating sentences with correlating conjunctions:  Hercules, Hydra In their battle, either Hercules or the Hydra would survive.  Icarus, his father Neither Icarus nor his father knew the wax that held the wings together would melt.

NOW YOU TRY!  The third pig, the wolf  Cinderella, her stepmother  Giant, Jack

MUSICAL REVIEW! MUSICAL REVIEW!  as