Correlative conjunctions connect two parts of a sentence and indicate a correlation in meaning. They include pairs like “either/or” and “both/and”. They establish a connection of meaning between the two items they join, unlike coordinating conjunctions.
A correlative conjunction refers to one or more words paired together to connect two different parts of a sentence in a way that also indicates a connection in meaning. Just like other types of conjunctions, they are used to connect two parts of a sentence, but indicate a correlation between them in some way. Common coordinating conjunctions include words like “and” or “but,” which are used to join words, phrases, and clauses within a sentence. A correlative conjunction, however, can be a pairing of words like “either/or” or “both/and,” which are used together to connect two parts of a sentence.
The basic purpose of any conjunction is to create a connection between two words, if not in meaning, then at least in grammatical form. For example, a coordinating conjunction is often used to put two words together like the word “and” in “That’s tall and scary.” This coordinating conjunction does not serve to establish a particular connection of meaning between these two words.
In this example, it simply combines the two words into one sentence, in this case a predicative adjective. Predicative adjectives are a type of sentence that describes the subject of a sentence, in this case “him”. Both “tall” and “scary” are used together to describe the subject, but they are not necessarily the same or related in any way.
A correlative conjunction is used in much the same way as a coordinating conjunction, except that it also establishes a connection of meaning between the two items it joins. For example, in a sentence like “He’s neither tall nor scary,” a correlative conjunction in the form of “neither/nor” was used. This connects the two components of the sentence, which is still a predicative adjective in the sentence just like in the previous example, but also indicates something about the relationship between the two words. The use of “nor” tells a reader that both of these words connected by the conjunction are not true.
Another frequently used correlative conjunction includes “either/or,” which indicates that one of the two related terms is true but not both. In contrast to this, “both/and” tells the reader that both terms are true. While a correlative conjunction is often made up of just two words, there are other pairs that can be used such as “not only/but also”. This is often used in a sentence such as “Not only is he tall, but he’s also scary,” which indicates that both related items are true and emphasizes the second item.
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