What Are Correlative Conjunctions?

Correlative conjunctions are sort of like tag-team conjunctions. They come in pairs, and they must be used together in different places in a sentence to make them work. They get their name from the fact that they work together and relate one sentence element to another.

 

Correlative conjunctions include pairs such as

"both/and,"

"either/or,"

"neither/nor,"

"not/but"

and "not only/but also."

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For example:

• either/or - I want either the cheesecake or the chocolate cake.

• both/and - We'll have both the cheesecake and the chocolate cake.

• whether/or - I didn't know whether you'd want the cheesecake or the chocolate cake, so I got both.

• neither/nor - Oh, you want neither the cheesecake nor the chocolate cake? No problem.

• not only/but also - I'll eat them both - not only the cheesecake but also the chocolate cake.

• not/but - I see you're in the mood not for desserts but appetizers. I'll help you with those, too.

Here are some more useful pairs of correlative conjunctions:

• as/as - Bowling isn't as fun as skeet shooting.

• such/that - Such was the nature of their volatile relationship that they never would have made it even if they'd wanted to.

• scarcely/when - I had scarcely walked in the door when I got an urgent call and had to run right back out again.

• as many/as - There are as many curtains as there are windows.

• no sooner/than - I'd no sooner lie to you than strangle a puppy.

• rather/than - She'd rather play the drums than sing.