FANBOYS | 7 Helpful Coordinating Conjunctions with Examples | Conjunctions Quiz

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FANBOYS – Coordinating Conjunctions in English! The lesson below will provide the usage and examples of coordinating conjunctions in English with ESL printable infographics.

Coordinating conjunctions, also called coordinators, are conjunctions that join, or coordinate, two or more items (such as words, main clauses, or sentences) of equal syntactic importance. In English, the mnemonic FANBOYS acronym can be used to remember the coordinators for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.

FANBOYS | Usage & Examples

FOR

Shows reason or purpose

Examples:

• I go to the library, for I love to read.
• Fan loves to watch Jane, for she dances beautifully.
• My husband and I went to Paris, for it was our five-year anniversary.
• Little John was very happy; for he was only seven years old.
• She is the Ruler destined to be my successor, for she is a Royal Princess.

AND

Connects two or more ideas, shows addition. 

Examples:

• Anna likes to read and write.
• He laughed at that, and his laugh was merry and frank.
• He parked the truck in front of the house and headed down the hill.
• I like to eat cookies, and I like to drink milk.
• Everyday after school, I go to the library and study.

NOR

Shows a non-contrasting, negative idea. Adds more negativity.

Examples:

• The virus cannot live in immunized individuals, nor in nature.
• I refuse to hug to people I don’t know, nor will I kiss them.
• John doesn’t like to do his homework. Nor does he check his answers when he does do it.
• She did not return that night, nor the night after.
• She could not speak, nor could she understand anything we said.

BUT

Shows contrast or exception

Examples:

•  She objected at first, but finally submitted.
• She’s 85 but she still goes swimming every day.
• We’re making good progress, but we’ve still got a long way to go.
• Sarah’s a highly intelligent girl, but she’s rather lazy.
• He said no more, but expressed his resignation to cruel fate by a gesture.

OR

Shows choice or option.

Examples:

• You’re going to have a little brother or sister.
• He’s probably at lunch or in a meeting.
• You don’t care whether he lives or dies, do you?
• He could go to the bar, or he could go to work.
• Do you like chocolate or vanilla better?

YET

Shows contrast or exception.

Examples:

• He can be strict yet understanding at the same time.
• The sauce was sweet yet had a spicy flavor to it.
• The weather was cold, yet bright and sunny.
• Her advice seems strange, yet I believe she’s right.

SO

Shows a consequence.

Examples:

• I know you must be tired, so I will let you rest.
• All the bars are closed by now, so what do you want to do instead?
• There weren’t enough beds, so I had to sleep on the floor.
• The mistake was already made, so there’s not much you can do about it now.
• Anna was feeling ill, so she went home to bed.

Coordinating Conjunctions | Infographic

FANBOYS – Useful Coordinating Conjunctions List in English | Image

Coordinating Conjunctions Quiz