The word 'conjunction' refers to words that join clauses or act as transitions between two sentences. They include phrases from the following four groups:
- Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS)
- Correlative Conjunctions ("both...and / not only...but / neither...nor", etc)
- Conjunction Adverbs (words like "For example, ... / Therefore,...")
- Subordinating Conjunctions (words that start a dependent clause)
The below exercises will focus on groups #1, 3, and #4. The difficulty of the worksheet increases as you go further down the page.
Good luck!
Exercise Group #1: FANBOYS (Coordinating Conjunctions)
Note: to review coordinating conjunctions, see our lesson here.
- The store sells fruit vegetables.
- It was cold outside, we still had a nice walk.
- Carlos was sleepy, he stayed up to finish his homework.
- The child didn't want to brush her teeth, did she want to go to bed.
- We had coffee we spoke about life.
- We were hungry, we made a snack.
- I could not open the door, it was locked.
- You can join us, you can stay home.
Exercise Group #2: Subordinating Conjunctions
Note: Use each answer once.
- Please send me an e-mail you have any questions.
- People should not drive a car they have a license.
- He didn't have any money he had forgotten his wallet at home.
- The boss was angry he didn't tell us why.
- Someone rang the doorbell I was taking a shower.
- "Let's talk more I get home, okay?"
- Most people brush their teeth they wake up in the morning.
Exercise Group #3: Conjunctive Adverbs
Note: Use each answer once. For more exercises on conjunctive adverbs, see our page here.
- There was a snowstorm last night. , many flights were canceled.
- Eating unhealthily can cause health problems. , it can increase blood pressure.
- The new Samsung S21 has an improved camera. , it can store 128 gigabytes of data.
- Most people want their government to provide services such as healthcare. , such services cost money that must come from taxes.
- I didn't like what the man had said. , it angered me.
- Most people want to find someone and get married. , finding someone to spend the rest of your life with is not easy.
- Margaret Chen has been teaching for 20 years. , she is an instructor at Brown University.
Exercise Group #4 - Mixed Conjunctions (Beginner)
These exercises focus on conjunctions with a similar meaning that follow different rules for punctuation. For help, see our lesson on fragments and run-on sentences.
- The boy tried to pick up the rock, it was too heavy.
- the rock was quite heavy, the boy tried to pick it up.
- The boy tried to pick up the rock. , it was too heavy.
- It was Jenna's birthday, her mother baked her a special cake.
- It was Jenna's birthday. , her mother baked her a special cake.
- it was Jenna's birthday, her mother baked her a special cake.
Explanations
- The word 'but' is a coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses. This creates a compound sentence.
- The first clause is a dependent clause, so it begins with a subordinating conjunction.
- A conjunctive adverb like 'However' can begin a sentence with only one clause. A subordinating conjunction ('although') can only be used when a sentence has a dependent and independent clause.
- The word 'so' is a coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses. This creates a compound sentence.
- A conjunctive adverb like 'Therefore' can begin a sentence with only one clause. A subordinating conjunction ('because') can only be used when a sentence has a dependent and independent clause.
- The first clause is a dependent clause, so it begins with a subordinating conjunction.
Exercise Group #5 - Mixed Conjunctions (Intermediate)
- People should wash their hands regularly. , they recommended that people stay home if they are sick.
- Sandeep put the event in his calendar he would not forget it.
- The recipe looked quite challenging. , I gave it a try.
- Olivia had read the article twice, she still didn't understand it completely.
- She lives in Ottawa, is the capital city of Canada.
- He tried to open the door for five minutes. , he gave up.
- My car is not reliable. I need it for something important, it won't start.
- she finished her work, everyone in the office had already left.
Exercise Group #6 - Mixed Paragraphs (Intermediate)
Select the appropriate conjunctions for the below paragraphs.
- Many people today want to buy an electric vehicle. These cars are better for the environment they don't require gasoline. , they are generally more expensive than traditional vehicles. , there are other issues. , it can take a long time to charge the car's battery.
- Choosing a career is no simple task for young people. People often say to "do what you love", many people have not experienced a job they have loved. , perhaps the best advice is to try as many different types of jobs as possible they find something they like.
Exercise Group #7 - Mixed Conjunctions (Advanced)
- The stock's price opened at $3.50. , it dropped by 20 percent.
- The landlord told his tenant that he had bad news; , that he would have to raise the rent significantly.
- "You look you've seen a ghost. What's going on?"
- "I can't believe I failed the test! I'd studied more."
- visitors have the proper equipment, they can use the rock climbing wall.
- Maryam is currently an accountant at a company. , she'd like to run her own accounting firm but she needs to gain more experience first.
Exercise Group #8 - Mixed Paragraph (Advanced)
- The Social Dilemma is a video documentary argues that social media companies are significantly harming society. The video is mostly presented by insiders in the tech industry (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.) confess to the harmful nature of the technology they helped design.
- Social media sites are often described as free. , the film contends that social media are not, in fact, free platforms without a product. using the system, the user and his attention become the product advertisers aim to control. users fear these companies sell our data, social media companies hoard it monetize us.
- The data collected is not only demographic. , every click is measured by algorithms to better understand our behaviour. The end goal is manipulation, is described as a “gradual, slight, imperceptible change in [our] own behaviour and perception.” , the aim of the system is to profit by changing how we, the users, act.
Did you find a mistake? Do you have a question? Please leave a comment below.
-- Worksheet created by Matthew Barton of Englishcurrent.com (copyright)
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