CONJUNCTIONS

+79.  Classes of Conjunctions.+—­Conjunctions are divided according to their use into two general classes:  the cooerdinate and the subordinate conjunctions.

Cooerdinate conjunctions are used to connect words, phrases, and clauses of equal rank; subordinate conjunctions connect clauses of unequal rank.

The principal cooerdinate conjunctions are and, but, or, nor, and for. And is said to be copulative because it merely adds something to what has just been said.  Other conjunctions having a copulative use are also, besides, likewise, moreover, and too; and the correlative conjunctions, both ... and, not only ... but also, etc.  These are termed correlative because they occur together. But is termed the adversative cooerdinate conjunction because it usually introduces something adverse to what has already been said.  Other words of an adversative nature are yet, however, nevertheless, only, notwithstanding, and still. Or is alternative in its force.  This conjunction implies that there is a choice to be made.

Other similar conjunctions are either ... or, neither ... nor, or, else. Either ... or and neither ... nor are termed correlative conjunctions, and they introduce alternatives. For, because, such, and as are cooerdinate conjunctions only in such a case as the following:  [She has been running, for she is out of breath].

Some of the most common conjunctions of the subordinate type are those of place and time, cause, condition, purpose, comparison, concession, and result. That introducing a subordinate clause may be called a substantive conjunction:  [I knew that I ought to go].

There are a number of subordinate conjunctions used in pairs which are called correlatives.  The principal pairs are as ... so, as ... as, so ... as, if ... then, though ... yet.

+80.  Simple and Compound Sentences.+—­In the first section of this review the parts of a sentence were named as the subject and predicate.

The subject may itself consist of two parts joined by one of the cooerdinating conjunctions:  [Alice and her cousin are here].  The predicate may be formed in a similar fashion:  [John played and made merry all day long].  Both subject and predicate may be so compounded:  [John and Richard climbed the ladder and jumped on the hay].

In all these cases the sentence, consisting as it does of but one subject and one predicate, is said to be simple.

When two clauses—­that is, two groups of words containing each a subject and predicate—­are united by a cooerdinate conjunction, the sentence is said to be compound:  [John wished to play Indian, but Richard preferred to play railroad].