Conjunctions are some of the most important little words used in the English language. Learn the three main jobs they do and review a list of some of the most common conjunctions used every day.

​

A conjunction is a word that joins together words, phrases, or parts of sentences.

The three most-used conjunctions are and, or, and but.

 

Conjunctions can join words together, like in this sentence:

I'd like five peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, please.

 

Conjunctions can also join phrases together, like in this sentence:

Do want to go down the hill or up the mountain?

 

Conjunctions also join parts of sentences together, as shown here:

I ran, but the ice cream melted before I got home.

 

There are dozens of conjunctions.  Here are some that you use every day:

although

because

if

since

though

unless

when

where

however

therefore

whenever

while

 

Sometimes conjunctions are used in pairs, like the ones shown in this chart of CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS

either/or

neither/nor

not only/but also

both/and

whether/or

just as/so

 

​