•COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS•TRANSITIONAL WORDS

Sentence cohesion, part 2

Joining Sentences Using Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions join grammatically

equal structures as follows: Jim and Jack (two people or subjects) Tripped or fell (two actions or verbs) A large yet athletic man (two describing words

or adjectives) Moved quickly but carefully (two words

describing actions or adverbs)

Joining Sentences

Coordinating Conjunctions can also join together two independent clauses to form a compound sentence.

An independent clause contains a subject , a verb and a

complete thought.

Example: Male babies often wear blue, and female

babies wear pink.

Coordinating Conjunctions

There are 7 coordinating conjunctions, which you can memorize by remembering the words

fan boys:

For : Shows reason (The second clause gives a reason for the first.)

And : Shows additionNor: Shows negative alternativeBut: Shows contrastOr: Shows alternative or choiceYet: Shows unexpected contrast (similar to although)So: Shows result (the first clause results in the second)

Coordinating Conjunctions

There are 7 coordinating conjunctions, which you can memorize by remembering the words

fan boys:

For : Shows reason (The second clause gives a reason for the first.)

People associated blue with good spirits, for those spirits lived in the blue sky.

And : Shows addition The color doesn’t make any difference to the baby, and even

the parents know that. Nor: Shows negative alternative Very few parents today know the reasons behind these

traditional colors , nor do parents care.

Coordinating conjunctions cont.

But: Shows contrastMany years later people still dressed males in blue, but they chose pink for the females. Or: Shows alternative or choiceThe superstition about evil spirits disappeared , orpeople might have dressed their girls in blue also. Yet: Shows unexpected contrast (similar to although) People of old cared about their female children, yet they did not care enough to dress them in blue. So: Shows result (the first clause results in the second)People wanted to protect their infant boys from evil spirits, so they dressed the boys in blue.

Coordinating conjunctions cont.

Beware of then and also. They might look like coordinating conjunctions but they are not.

Complete each sentence with an independent clause

1. The Internet has become very important today, and ………

2. Nowadays, people love the speed and convenience of email so…….

3. Many people also shop on the Internet, for it…..

4. Companies without computer technology must change or…………

5.Prices of computers continue to drop, yet…

Complete sentences cont.

6. Ten years ago, hardly anyone used the Internet, but……..

7. Many people don’t realize that their cars contain hundreds of computer chips, nor……..

Connecting Sentences with Transitional Words

You can join two sentences consisting of two independent clauses together using a semicolon, a transitional word and a comma.

A semicolon (;) transitional word,

A transitional word shows the transition from one idea to another. It explains how or in what way the ideas in the two clauses are related.

Transitional Words List

Here is a list of transitional words Adapted from Gateways to Academic Writing by Alan Meyers

furthermore, moreover, also

acts like ‘and’

however acts like ‘but’nevertheless acts like ‘yet’therefore, consequently acts like ‘so’otherwise, instead acts like ‘or’meanwhile, later, afterwards

shows time relationship

A tip for you

Remember that the (;) before the transitional word and not the transitional word is what joins the sentences together. YOU MUST have a (;) before the transitional word and a (,) afterwards.

ExampleFatima studies during the week ; however,

she likesto go out on the weekends.

Rewrite each sentence. Replace the coordinating conjunction with a conjunctive adverb. Use the correct punctuation.

1. Thor Heyerdahl was born and raised in Norway, but he is most famous for his travel to Polynesia in the South Pacific.

1. Thor Heyerdahl was born and raised in Norway ; however, he is most famous for his

travel to Polynesia in the South Pacific.

Exercise cont.

1. In 1936, he learned the legend of a pale-skinned god Tiki, who brought the ancestors of the Polynesian natives from the West across the sea, so he logically concluded that they came from Peru in South America.

In 1936, he learned the legend of a pale-skinned God Tiki, who brought the ancestors of the Polynesian natives from the West across the sea; therefore, he logically concluded that they came from Peru in South America.

Exercise cont.

3. He wanted to prove that such a voyage was possible, so in 1947 he built a raft like the kind he thought the early natives used.

He wanted to prove that such a voyage was Possible; consequently, in 1947 he built a

raft like the kind he thought the early natives used.

Exercise cont.

4. He made a 45 foot long raft, which he called

Kon-Tiki, out of logs and bamboo, and he used only rope to hold the logs together.

He made a 45 foot long raft, which he called

Kon-Tiki, out of logs and bamboo ; furthermore, he used only rope to hold the logs together.

Exercise cont.

1. He and a crew of six had to be incredibly skilled and brave, or they would never have completed their 4,300 mile voyage across the open sea.

He and a crew of six had to be incredibly skilled and brave ; otherwise, they would never have completed their 4,300 mile voyage across the open sea.

Exercise cont.

6. After 101 days, the raft reached the reefs near a Polynesian island, but strong waves smashed the cabin and broke the mast in two.

After 101 days, the raft reached the reefs near a Polynesian island ; however, strong waves smashed the cabin and broke the mast in two.

Exercise completed

7. The boat was destroyed and the crew thrown into the water , yet they were able to wade their way to the island.

The boat was destroyed and the crew thrown into the water ; nevertheless, they were able to wade their way to the island.

First half of exerciseCorrect these sentences

Mike’s laptop started playing up just when it was time to upload his essay therefore there was nothing in the lecturer’s inbox when he went to take a look. Mike didn’t like his chances of getting through the traffic to submit his

essay to his lecturer personally instead he decided that he would stay where he was and send his work through by carrier pigeon.

Unfortunately the bird had to fly over a clay pigeon shooting range, and some shot hit the low-flying essay pouch this caused holes in the paper.

A friend of Mike’s at the scene whistled the bird down decided to save the day consequently he called an Uber vehicle and paid to put the essay in the car.

The Uber driver delivered the essay late, only after he’d dropped off three more important clients therefore the lecturer had no choice but to deduct 4% from the essay.

When the lecturer handed back the essay he told Mike there were serious holes in his argument moreover Mike was asked to report to the campus manager’s office to explain why bird droppings were stuck to his mini-thesis.

Second half of exercise

Mike was in despair later when he had calmed down he visited the University’s vice-chancellor who happened to be his father.

‘Excellent initiative to send your essay in like that,’ his father said nowadays though people love the convenience of email mail so obviously you weren’t thinking straight.

‘Email?’ said Mike so that’s what I should have done unfortunately no-one told me about that therefore I’m late and I am going to fail.

‘Don’t worry!’ laughed his father ‘I am the boss of this university consequently I can get your mark raised to 90%.’

‘You’re a good father said Mike consequently I will behave myself and make you proud of me by delivering my next essay via a parachute drop.