And holboos

Conjunction and

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, and clauses. Look at the examples that follow:

The bowl of squid eyeball stew is hot and delicious.

A coordinating conjunction can join two main clauses that a writer wants to emphasize equally. The pattern for coordination looks like this:

main Clause + , + coordinating conjunction + main Clause.

Subordination, however, emphasizes the idea in the main clause more than the one in the subordinate clause. Generally, the patterns look like these:

main clause + Ø + subordinate clause.

subordinate Clause + , + main Clause.

Read the pairs of sentences that follow. The first version coordinates the two ideas. The second version subordinates one idea to emphasize the other.

To survive the fetal pig dissection, Rinalda agreed to make all of the incisions, and Frances promised to remove and label the organs.

Pattern 1 — Connecting two main clauses

When you connect two main clauses with a coordinating conjunction, use a comma. The pattern looks like this:

main clause + , + coordinating conjunction + main clause.

Here is an example:

While I am at work, my dog Floyd sleeps on the bed , and my cat Buster naps in the bathtub.

Pattern 2 — Connecting two items

You can also use a coordinating conjunction to connect any two items. These items can be any grammatical unit except main clauses. The pattern looks like this:

item + Ø + coordinating conjunction + item

Here are some examples:

My dog Floyd has too many fleas and too much hair.

Pattern 3 — Connecting three or more items in a series

When you have three or more items in a series, you generally use a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Some handbooks and style guides will tell you that this comma is optional, but my advice is to put it in. The pattern looks like this:

item + , + item + , + coordinating conjunction + item

Here is an example:

Swatting olives off the kitchen counter, dragging toilet paper streamers through the house, and terrorizing Jacques Cousteau, the parakeet, has consumed another of Buster's days.

Yes, you can begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction!

Some teachers warn that beginning a sentence with a coordinating conjunction is wrong. Teachers will typically tell you this because they are trying to help you avoid writing fragments. Other times teachers give this advice because their preference is that a sentence not begin with a coordinating conjunction.

What you should remember is that you break no grammar rule if you begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction. Because you might be breaking your instructors' rules, however, you should ask what their preferences are.

If you decide to begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction, keep these three things in mind:

• Be sure that a main clause follows the coordinating conjunction.
• Do not use a coordinating conjunction to begin every sentence. Use this option only when it makes the flow of your ideas more effective.
• Do not use a comma after the coordinating conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions are not transitional expressions like for example or first of all. You will rarely use punctuation after them.