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Coordinating conjunctions connect two independent clauses in a compound sentence. The seven coordinating conjunctions in English are remembered with the mnemonic FANBOYS. Each conjunction adds a different meaning to the sentence. They are often preceded by punctuation, such as a comma. Examples include “and” indicating equal importance, “but” indicating exception, and “so” indicating consequence.
When writing a compound sentence, that is, a sentence composed of more than one independent clause, the two ideas of equal importance known as clauses must be connected in some way so that the reader knows that the two ideas are related to each other. Coordinating conjunctions serve to accomplish this task; there are seven coordinating conjunctions in the English language: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.
A mnemonic device for remembering these coordinating conjunctions comes from taking the first letter of each word to get the word FANBOYS. Each of these coordinating conjunctions does the same job: connecting compound sentences, but each of the coordinating conjunctions adds a different meaning to the sentence.
Coordinating conjunctions most often occur in the middle of a compound sentence and are, more often than not, preceded by some sort of punctuation, most often a comma, but not exclusively. Here is an example of coordinating conjunctions in the middle of sentences:
Tommy went to the store and made dinner when he got back.
In this case Tommy performs two distinct actions, both of equal importance. Therefore, the coordinating conjunction “and” tells the reader that the two clauses – “Tommy went to the store” and “he made dinner when he got back” – have equal importance and are logically connected.
Here’s another example:
Tommy went to the store, but forgot to buy milk.
In this case, the word. :but” acts as a coordinating conjunction to indicate that the two independent clauses refer to each other; in this case, the second clause indicates a reliance on the first clause. “But” usually indicates some sort of exception to the first clause.
Another example demonstrating the use of coordinating conjunctions:
Maria still wanted to dance with Tommy, but she couldn’t work up the courage to ask him.
In this case, the second clause is directly related to the first clause, but the coordinating conjunction – “again” – indicates that there is more depth to the first clause. This depth is qualified by the second clause. Typically, the conjunction “still” indicates two logically connected but somewhat contradictory ideas.
One last example:
Tommy didn’t own any books, so he decided against putting up shelves.
In this case, the coordinating conjunction “so” indicates that the second proposition is a consequence of the first. Tommy doesn’t own books, so he doesn’t need bookstores. The lack of shelves is the result of his lack of books.
