What is a Correlative Conjunction?

Definition, Examples of Correlating

Conjunctions
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Correlating Conjunctions
Correlative conjunction definition: Correlative conjunctions are conjunctions
that function as separable compounds, occurring in pairs, and have
corresponding meanings.
What is a Correlative Conjunction?
A conjunction is a part of speech that connects or coordinates words, phrases, or
clauses.
A correlative conjunction is a type of conjunction that functions in a pair, with both
words working together to balance words, phrases, or clauses.

This pair of conjunctions “correlates” together.

Correlative Conjunctions List

There are many examples of

correlative conjunctions; some are used more frequently than others, but here is
list of the most common pairs

 Both / and
 Either / or
 Hardly / when
 If / then
 Just as / so
 Neither / nor
 Not only / but also
 Rather / or
 Whether / or
Of this list, the most common by far are,

 Either / or
 Neither / nor
 Not only / but also
Examples of Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions must balance sentences and ideas. They are only used
when equal, correlative ideas are presented.

 Either you will eat your dinner or you will go to bed.

 He is neither employed nor looking for a job.
 Not only do I love this band, but I have also seen them in concert twice.
Be Careful When Using Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions must be used mindfully. In that sense, they are
like semicolons—they should only be used in order to balance a sentence. They
should not be used with ideas that are disparate or unequal.
Verb Agreement

What is verb
agreement? As will all clauses, it is important to maintain verb agreement when
using correlative conjunctions.
If a coordinating conjunction is used to connect subjects, the verb must agree
with the second subject regardless of the first subject. (However, the subjects
themselves must be balanced and related.)
Examples:
 Every day either the cats or the dog reacts to the mailman.
 This sentence has two subjects: the cats and the dog. The second
subject, the dog, is the subject that must agree with the verb. Therefore,
the sentence reads: “the dog reacts” not “the dog react.”
 Neither my cousin nor my siblings enjoy roller coasters.
 This sentence has two subjects: my cousin and my siblings. The
second subject, my siblings, is the subject that must agree with the
 verb. Therefore, the sentence reads: “my siblings enjoy” not “my
siblings enjoys.”
Pronoun Agreement

What is pronoun
agreement? When using a correlative conjunction that has two antecedents
before it, the correlative conjunction must agree with the second antecedent.
It is important to maintain pronoun-antecedent agreement when using correlative
conjunctions.

Examples:
 Neither the teacher nor the students like their new textbooks.
 This sentence has two antecedents: the teacher and the students. The
second antecedent, students, is the antecedent that must agree with
the pronoun. Therefore, the sentence uses “their” and not “his” or “her.”
 Neither the students nor the teacher likes her new textbooks.
 This sentence has two antecedents: the students and the teacher. The
second antecedent, teacher, is the antecedent that must agree with the
pronoun. Therefore, the sentence uses “her” and not “their.”
Parallel Structure

What is parallel
structure? Correlative conjunctions call for parallel structure. Parallel structure
must be used in order to create balanced sentences. The parts of the sentence
that follow the conjunction must be grammatically equal.
Examples:
 Not only did Jerry bake a cake, but he also prepared a pie.
 Jerry not only baked a cake but he also prepared a pie.
 These sentence have two clauses. Each clause is balanced with word
order and structure.
Do Not Create a Double Negative with Neither Nor

Using the correlative

conjunctions neither and nor have the same rules as using either and or.
Neither and nor are simply a negative form of eitherand or.
Since neither and nor are themselves negative constructions, it is important to
not create a double negative when using them.
To make sure you are not using a double negative, simply substitute either/or.
If either/or substitutes and no other changes need to be made for the sentence to
make sense, you wrote the sentence correctly and did not create a double
negative.
Correct example:
 Neither my friends nor my parents will join me at the movies.
 With either/or substitution: Either my friends or my parents will join me
at the movies.
Incorrect example creating double negative:
 Neither my friends nor my parents will not join me at the movies.
 The meaning of this sentence is actually that my friends or my parents
will join me, which is not what the speaker is trying to say.
Summary: What are Correlative Conjunctions?
Define correlative conjunction: the definition of correlative conjunction is a set
of conjunctions that function in pairs and have corresponding meanings with their
pair.
In summary, a correlative conjunction:

 is pairing of two conjunctions that correlate

 must be used with balanced words, phrases, and clauses,
 must be used with proper grammar

2. Subordinating Conjunction
This type of conjunctions is used in linking two clauses together. Aside from the fact that
they introduce a dependent clause, subordinating conjunctions also describe the
relationship between the dependent clause and the independent clause in the sentence.
List of Common Subordinating Conjunctions:

 while
 as soon as
 although
 before
 even if
 because
 no matter how
 whether
 wherever
 when
 until
 after
 as if
 how
 if
 provided
 in that
 once
 supposing
 while
 unless
 in case
 as far as
 now that
 as
 so that
 though
 since
Sample Sentences:

 It is so cold outside, so I brought you a jacket.

 Because it is so cold outside, I brought you a jacket.
By looking at the sentences above, you will easily notice that a subordinating conjunction
can be found either at the beginning of the sentence or between the clauses that it links
together. Aside from that, a comma should also be placed in between the two clauses
(independent clause and dependent clause) of the sentence.

3. Correlative Conjunction
The correlative conjunctions are simply pairs of conjunctions which are used to join equal
sentence elements together.

List of Common Correlative Conjunctions:

 either… or
  neither… nor
 not only… but also
 both… and
 whether… or
 so… as
Sample Sentences:

 Both my brother and my father are lawyers.

 I can’t decide whether I’ll take Chemical Engineering or take Medical Technology in
college.

Subordinating Conjunctions
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Out of the three different kinds of conjunctions (coordinating, correlative and subordinating),
subordinating conjunctions are the most difficult to recognize, but they are not that hard to master. In
fact, you probably use them all the time without even noticing, but let’s take a closer look at them to
see what’s going on.

What Is A Subordinating Conjunction

A subordinating conjunction is a word that connects a main clause to a subordinate clause. A main
clause is an independent clause that can stand alone by itself as a sentence. In other words, a main
clause does not need any additional information to operate as a sentence. For example, the sentence
"The student failed the test" is an example of a main clause.
A subordinate clause is a dependent clause that adds some extra information to the main clause.
These phrases cannot stand by themselves, and their meaning is dependent upon that of the
independent clause. They are not sentences! For example, "because she didn't study" is not a
complete idea worthy of being defined as a sentence. However, combine the two clauses, and we
have "The student failed the test because she didn't study." A complete idea has been expressed, and
enough information has been presented in order to fully explain the thought.

Using Subordinating Conjunctions

In English, there are lots of subordinating conjunctions, but the most common ones, along with a few
examples of how subordinating conjunctions are used, are as follows:
 after - “Your heart will break like mine, and you’ll want only me after you’ve gone” (Ella
Fitzgerald).
 although - “Although I’ve been here before, he’s just too hard to ignore” (Amy Winehouse).
 as - “As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I take a look at my life and realize
there’s nothing left” (Coolio).
 as long as - “I don’t care who you are, where you’re from or what you did as long as you love
me” (Backstreet Boys).
 because - “I’m everything I am because you loved me” (Celine Dion).
 before - “Just call me angel of the morning, angel. Just touch my cheek before you leave me,
baby” (Juice Newton).
 even if - “Even if the sky is falling down, you’ll be my only” (Jay Sean).
 if - “If you leave me now, you’ll take away the biggest part of me” (Peter Cetera/Chicago).
 once - “Once you pop, you can’t stop” (Pringles commercials).
 now that - “Baby, now that I’ve found you, I won’t let you go” (Tony Macaulay/John
MacLeod).
 since - “I guess I’ll never be the same since I fell for you” (B.B. King).
 though - “Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain though your dreams be tossed
and blown” (Rodgers and Hammerstein).
 unless - “We’re never going to survive unless we get a little crazy” (Seal).
 until - “[You] don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone” (Cinderella).
 when - “When I see you smile, I can face the world” (Bad English).
 where - “There’s a light burning bright, showing me the way, but I know where I’ve been”
(Scott Wittman).
 while - “I look at the world, and I notice it’s turning while my guitar gently weeps” (The
Beatles).
You’ll notice that when a dependent clause precedes an independent clause, there is a comma
between the two, indicating the beginning of the main (independent) clause. However, when the
independent clause comes first, there is no need to separate the two clauses with a comma.
This subordinating conjunctions word list has a flashcard set for review.

Considerations
As with any grammatical device, using the subordinating conjunction too much becomes repetitive
and boring. Of course, certain types of writing require a bare-bones style without much comedy or
flavorful tone. However, subordinating conjunctions should still be used only sparingly. Constantly
using the same device does not only sound rote, but doing so also sounds like the work of an
inexperienced writer. Experienced writers know that subordinating conjunctions, and other tools,
should only be used when they are warranted. Writing style should never be forced, as forced writing
is always painfully obvious!

Subordinating Conjunctions vs. Relative

Pronouns
There is another group of words that sometimes introduce dependent clauses. These are called
relative pronouns, and although they look and act very similar to coordinating conjunctions, they are
different. True relative pronouns are “that,” “who” and “which,” and they differ from subordinating
conjunctions in that they act as the subject of a dependent clause whereas subordinating conjunctions
do not. Subordinating conjunctions are followed by the subject of their clause. Consider a few
examples:
  John is the guy who came over for dinner last week. - Here, we have two clauses. “John is the
guy” is the main clause, and “who came over for dinner last week” gives us more information
about John. The word “who” acts as the subject of the dependent clause.
 We talked about music and movies while we ate. - Again, we have two clauses. “We talked
about music and movies” is the main clause, and “while we ate” gives us more information.
However, in this example, both clauses have the subject “we.” The word “while” does not act as
the subject of the dependent clause.
Now that you know what subordinating conjunctions are, you can continue to use them, but now with
new purpose and vigor!

Read more at http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/conjunctions/subordinating-

conjunctions.html#b6FwPk2Zw6G6AbBH.99

What Are Subordinating Conjunctions? (with

Examples)
A subordinating conjunction is used to link a subordinate clause (also
known as a dependent clause) to the main clause (also known as
an independent clause).

In each example below, the main clause is in bold, and the subordinating
conjunction is shaded.

 She left early because Mike arrived with his new girlfriend.
 Keep your hand on the wound until the nurse asks you to take it
off.

A List of Common Subordinating Conjunctions

Here is a list of common subordinating conjunctions:

after in order that though

although in the event that until
as just in case when
as soon as now that whenever
because once where
before only if whereas
by the time provided that wherever
even if rather than whether
even though since whether or not
every time so that while
if than why
in case that

The Function of a Subordinating Conjunction

When a sentence has an independent clause (main clause) and at least
one dependent clause, it is known as a complex sentence. In a complex
sentence, the role of the subordinating conjunction and the dependent
clause is to establish a time, a place, a reason, a condition, a
concession, or a comparison for the main clause. The subordinating
conjunction provides the bridge between the main clause and the
dependent clause.

Examples of Subordinating Conjunctions

Below are some common subordinating conjunctions in sentences:

Subordinating Category Example

Conjunction
as reason As it's raining, I'm staying in.

because reason I'm staying in because it's raining.

in order that reason In order that I don't miss the postman, I'm staying in.

since reason Since you're going out, I'm staying in.

so that reason I'm staying in so that I don't miss the postman.

although concession and comparison I'm staying in although I'd rather go out.

as concession and comparison I'm staying in as you should.

even though concession and comparison I'm staying in even though the sun is out.

just as concession and comparison I'm staying in just as you should.

though concession and comparison I'm staying in though I wish I weren't.

whereas concession and comparison I'm staying in whereas you are going out.

while concession and comparison I'm staying in while you are going out.

even if condition Even if it rains, I'm going out.

if condition If it rains, I'm staying in.

in case condition I'm staying in in case it rains.

provided that condition Provided it doesn't rain, I'm going out.

unless condition I'm going out unless it rains.

where place I fish where the waves start to form.

wherever place I will live wherever the weather is good.

after time I'm going out after the football.

as soon as time I'm going out as soon as the football has finished.

as long as time I'm staying out as long as the weather stays good.

before time I'm going out before the football.

once time I'm going out once the football has finished.

till time I'm staying out till the weather turns bad.

until time I'm staying out until the weather turns bad.

when time I'm going out when the weather improves.

whenever time I go out whenever the weather is good.

while time I'll stay out while the weather is good.

Subordinating Conjunctions and Commas

When a subordinate clause starts a sentence, it is normal to separate it
from the main clause with a comma. For example:
 If you shoot at mimes, should you use a silencer? (Steven Wright)

When a subordinate clause ends a sentence, you should drop the

comma.

 Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life. (Herbert

Henry Asquith, 1852-1928)

A subordinate clause usually gives essential information for the main

clause. Therefore, it should not be separated from it with a comma.
However, when a subordinate clause is at the start of a sentence, a
comma is used because it helps readers by letting them know where the
main clause starts.

Exceptions to the Comma Rule

There are a couple of quirks with this ruling:

Quirk 1: You Can Use a Comma for a Deliberate Pause

You should try to resist the temptation to use a comma before a

subordinating conjunction. However, if a pause is needed for effect, a
comma can be used before the subordinating conjunction. For example:

 Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons. (Woody

Allen)

Quirk 2: You Can Use a Comma before Because If the Main Clause
is a Negative idea

To eliminate ambiguity, it is a good practice to use a comma

before because if the main clause expresses a negative idea. For
example:

 I am not going, because it's raining.

(This means: As it is raining, I am not going. There is no ambiguity.

The comma is acceptable.)
 I am not going because it's raining.

(Without the comma, this could mean: The rain is not the reason I am
not going. The example below expands on the idea.)

 I am not going because it's raining. I am not going because I dislike

the host.

The comma helps to separate the reason offered by the "because"

clause from the word not.

What Are Correlative Conjunctions? (with Examples)

Correlative conjunctions are used in pairs to link equivalent elements in
a sentence.

The most common ones are:

 either...or

 neither...nor

 not only...but also

 so...as

Examples of Correlative Conjunctions

Here are some examples of correlative conjunctions (shaded):

 I am removing not only your gun but also your permit.

(The equivalent elements being linked are your gun and your permit.
They are both noun phrases.)

 It was neither clever nor funny.

 (The equivalent elements being linked are clever and funny . They
are both adjectives.)

 Either go home or shut up.

(The equivalent elements being linked are go home and shut up.
They are both imperative verbs.)
The key learning point in these examples is that correlative conjunctions
link equivalent elements.

When Using Correlative Conjunctions, Keep a Parallel

Structure
When using correlative conjunctions, make sure the elements behind
each one are the same type of word (like in the examples above). This is
called a parallel structure. Look at these examples:

 She is not only taking a holiday but also a pay rise.

(In this example, the first half of the conjunction is in front of the main
verb (taking) and the second half is in front of a noun phrase (a pay
rise). It isn't parallel. It's wrong.)

 She is taking not only a holiday but also a pay rise.

(This version has a parallel structure.)

 She is not only taking a holiday but also getting a pay rise.

(This version also has a parallel structure.)

Read about parallel lists.

Subject-Verb Agreement with Correlative Conjunctions

When a correlative conjunction links two elements that are the subject of
a verb, the verb is singular if both elements are singular. For example:

 Neither the lorry nor the van is available.

 (Both elements are singular, so the verb is singular.)
However, things get complicated if one of the elements is plural because
there are two conventions:

Convention 1 – The Proximity Rule. Under this convention, the

element nearest the verb determines whether it is singular or plural. For
example:

 Neither the lorry nor the vans are available.

(The element nearest the verb is plural, so the verb is plural.)

Convention 2 – The Logic Rule. Under this convention, if any of the
elements are plural, the verb is plural. For example:

 Neither the lorries nor the van are available.

(The first element is plural, so the verb is plural. This would be wrong
using The Proximity Rule.)
Read more about using a singular or plural verb with either…or.
Read more about subject-verb agreement.

Neither...Nor Plays a Negative Role

Be aware that the pairing neither…nor plays a negative role in your
sentence. Be careful not to use a double negative. For example:

 I couldn't use neither the lorry nor the van.

 I could use neither the lorry nor the van.
 I couldn't use either the lorry or the van.

Correlative conjunctions: neither/nor, either/or, both/and, .

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Correlative conjunctions are pairs such as neither . . . nor, not . . . only, and but . . . also.
These conjunctions connect two balanced clauses, phrases, or words.
The two elements that correlative conjunctions connect are usually similar in length and grammatical
structure.

Example sentences containing correlative conjunctions:

 either . . . or
We can go to either Greece or Spain for our holiday.
It’s my final offer – you can either take it or leave it.
 both . . . and
Both rugby and football are popular in France.
Both English and Welsh are spoken in Wales.
 not only . . . but also
Not only is he a professional footballer, but he’s also a successful businessman.
 not . . . but
There are not two but three Baltic states: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
In sport, what counts is not the winning but the taking part.
 neither . . . nor
Neither Norway nor Switzerland is in the European Union.
Marriage is neither heaven nor hell, it is simply purgatory. (Abraham Lincoln)
 whether . . . or
Whether you love them or hate them, you have to admit that the Rolling Stones are very popular.
I’m totally confused – I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.
 no sooner . . . than
No sooner had I finished watering the garden than it started raining.
Subject-verb agreement
Watch out – the verb which follows two subjects joined by or must agree with the secondsubject,
NOT the first:
 Either my brother or my mum look looks after our cat when we’re away on holiday.
 Either my brother or my parents looks look after our cat when we’re away on holiday.
 Neither the manager nor his assistant are is here today.
 Neither the manager nor his assistants is are here today