List of Top Conjunctions in English

What is a Conjunction?
Conjunctions are joining words. Conjunctions bring words and phrases together. They help the writer create longer, more complex sentences. 

Examples of Simple Sentences:

The girl hit the ball.
He loathed her.
The girl has blue eyes.

Including complex sentences alongside simple sentences makes for stronger prose.

Conjunctions can be divided into three subgroups: correlative conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and coordinating conjunctions.

Conjunctions can bring two clauses together. They can begin or operate in the middle of sentences. Conjunctions can also help strengthen the structure of a sentence.

Conjunction Word Examples:
I love Erica and Rachel.
I spent three hours fishing, but I never caught anything.
I want a dog or a lama.
I went to see the doctor because I thought I was dying.

The first and third examples show conjunctions joining dependent clauses. The second example shows the conjunction 'but' joining two independent clauses. The fourth sentence uses the word 'because' to join two simple sentences.

List of Conjunctions
Coordinating Conjunction Words
Coordinating conjunctions are perhaps the most common conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions consist of seven words. These words connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical importance.

List of Coordinating Conjunctions
There are seven coordinating conjunctions. You can use the mnemonic FANBOYS to help you remember them.

F is for 'for'
A is for 'and'
N is for 'nor'
B is for 'but'
O is for 'or'
Y is for 'yet'
S is for 'so'

Each coordinating conjunctions serves different purposes when used. For instance, 'or' introduces change while 'so' emphasizes a word, phrase, or clause. So' can also indicate a result or consequence will be forthcoming.

You utilize 'and' when you wish to link two things together. 'But' introduces contrast into a sentence. 'Nor', on the other hand, brings forth an alternative negative idea. 'Nor' responds to an already presented negative concept.

Finally, the word 'yet' introduces a contrasting thought. It follows logically after an alternative idea.

How to Use Coordinating Conjunctions
These examples show you how to use these conjunctions in a sentence.

I visit the planetarium every Tuesday afternoon, for I enjoy viewing the stars.
I visit my mother and the ice cream man in central park.
I don't go for the ambiance nor the stirred fried rice.

Correlative Conjunction Words
Correlative conjunctions work in pairs. Each word of the couple resides in a different area of the sentence. For correlative conjunctions to function properly, you must introduce both terms into the sentence.

The word couples connect equal sentence parts. For instance, if you use a noun after the word 'both' you will need to place a noun after 'and' as well. This helps add structure to a sentence.

List of Correlative Conjunctions
Below are some correlative pairs you can use to structure your sentences. Some of these pairs are more common than others.

both/and
whether/or
not only/but also
either/or
neither/nor
just/so
the/the
as/as
if/then
rather/than
no sooner/than
such/that
so/that

How to Use Correlating Conjunctions
Below are some examples of how correlating conjunctions function. Note how these pairs work together to shape the meaning of the sentence.

I didn't know whether you'd like sea bass or lobster.
She is not thinking as logically as she can.
I stole not only the hubcaps but also the tires.

Subordinating Conjunction Words

Subordinating conjunctions link dependent clauses to independent clauses. A dependent clause cannot operate as a complete sentence: however, an independent clause can. Hence, dependent clauses add extra information to a sentence.

Subordinating conjunctions establish a relationship between two clauses. You can use these conjunctions to suggest cause and effect or to set up a contrast. 'Because' is one conjunction that demonstrates a cause and effect relationship. The words 'although' and 'though' introduce a contrast of ideas.

These conjunctions can appear at the beginning of a sentence when a dependent clause appears before an independent clause. You can find 'because' at the beginning of a sentence in a dependent clause.

Teachers often tell their students that sentences cannot begin with words like 'because'. Teachers do this to prevent young students from writing incomplete sentences. It leads some students in later life to think starting a sentence with a conjunction like 'because' is wrong; however, subordinate conjunctions like 'because' can successfully begin a sentence.

List of Subordinating Conjunctions
after
although
as
as if
as long as
as much as
as soon as
as far as
as though
by the time
in as much as
inasmuch
in order to
in order that
in case
lest
though
now that
now since
now when
now
even if
even
even though
provided
provide that
if
if then
if when
if only
just as
where
wherever
whereas
where if
whether
since
because
whose
whoever
unless
while
before
why
so that
until
how
since
than
till
whenever
supposing
when
or not
what

How to Use Subordinating Conjunctions
You can learn from these examples:

Because of the dog bite, I always feared being next to canines.
This will make sense if you read the first chapter
Until you wear a silk dress, you'll never know what you are missing.
I grab a coffee when I go running.
As I climb the mountain, I know my legs will hurt tomorrow.

In the above example sentences the subordinating conjunctions 'because', 'until', and 'as' sit at the beginning of their respective sentences. This proves the myth about subordinating clauses being unable to start sentences false.

These conjunctions do not have to function solely at the beginning of the sentence. In the examples above the words 'when' and 'if' find themselves in the middle of a sentence.