{"id":404,"date":"2017-10-11T16:45:26","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T16:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/unccwrc\/?p=404"},"modified":"2017-10-23T15:29:24","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T15:29:24","slug":"coordinating-conjunctions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/unccwrc\/blog\/2017\/10\/11\/coordinating-conjunctions\/","title":{"rendered":"Coordinating Conjunctions"},"content":{"rendered":"

This blog post will guide you down the yellow brick to understand coordinating conjunctions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Firstly, let\u2019s establish exactly what a coordinating conjunction is. <\/span><\/p>\n

We can use the cheesy acronym FANBOYS to help us remember:<\/span><\/p>\n

F<\/b>or<\/span><\/p>\n

A<\/b>nd<\/span><\/p>\n

N<\/b>or<\/span><\/p>\n

B<\/b>ut<\/span><\/p>\n

O<\/b>r<\/span><\/p>\n

Y<\/b>et<\/span><\/p>\n

S<\/b>o<\/span><\/p>\n

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, and clauses that are of the same syntactic importance together each in their own unique way. This becomes especially important in academic writing because you will be creating more complex sentences as your ideas become more complex.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s see each of these words in action, using the same theme:<\/span><\/p>\n

FOR:<\/b><\/p>\n

I take good care of my teeth, <\/span>for <\/b>it is expensive to go to the dentist.<\/span><\/p>\n

AND:<\/b><\/p>\n

I brush <\/span>and <\/b>floss my teeth twice a day.<\/span><\/p>\n

NOR:<\/b><\/p>\n

I have never had a root canal <\/span>nor <\/b>braces.<\/span><\/p>\n

BUT:<\/b><\/p>\n

My dog has really bad breath, <\/span>but <\/b>he hates having his teeth cleaned.<\/span><\/p>\n

OR:<\/b><\/p>\n

After I go to the dentist, my reward will be either a new toothbrush <\/span>or <\/b>a sundae!<\/span><\/p>\n

YET:<\/b><\/p>\n

I am terrified of the dentist, <\/span>yet <\/b>I go twice a year.<\/span><\/p>\n

SO:<\/b><\/p>\n

Dentists make a lot of money, <\/span>so <\/b>I have decided that\u2019s what I\u2019ll be!<\/span><\/p>\n

That was a lot to sink your teeth into!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As you can see each of these words perform the same function of linking two words, clauses, or phrases together. Which word you chose to perform this function can impact whether you are comparing, contrasting, explaining, or adding to. <\/span><\/p>\n

For example, <\/span>and<\/b> is clearly adding to the already established information; whereas, the word <\/span>but <\/b>is contrasting with something that has already been mentioned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another important element to coordinating conjunctions is how to punctuate them. When a coordinating conjunction joins two independent clauses, a comma is used. For example:<\/span><\/p>\n