Coordinators
Coordinators (and, but, so, or, nor, for*, yet*) connect elements of equal importance.
| S + V , but S + V
S + V and V S or S + V N and N Adj. and Adj. Phrase and Phrase Can be used in a series: A, B, C, or D |
(A comma is normally used.)
(No comma is necessary.) |
Examples:
| He drinks coffee, but she drinks tea. | (S + V , coordinator S +V) |
Gary lives in Ohio, and Deana lives in Michigan.
She loves to dance, so she bought a studio.
You could buy a car, or you could put the money in the bank.
When there is a new subject and verb, a comma is used before (not after) the coordinator.
I hate to sing but, I love to dance. (Incorrect)
I hate to sing, but I love to dance. (Correct)
| John and George both play football.
Paul listens to music and reads books. John, Paul, George, and Harry are classmates. |
(two subjects)
(two verbs) (series) |
*For is also commonly used as a preposition. Yet can sometimes be used as an adverb.
For Practice: See:
And-But-Or (from The Internet TESL Journal)
The Coordinating Conjunction (from Grammar Bytes)
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