Joining clauses - Easy Learning Grammar
Coordination
The process called coordination joins two short clauses of equal importance with a conjunction. Each clause becomes a main clause in the new sentence.- Ann went to the bank and withdrew £100.
- Sally goes to work but Ann doesn’t have a job.
- Ann (either) stays at home or visits her family.
- If the subject of both clauses is the same, it does not have to be repeated in front of the second verb.
- She came over and she gave me a hug.
- to join clauses where there is no contrast or choice.
- to join more than two clauses; the earlier clauses can be joined by a comma, but the last two must be joined by and.
- Ann got into the car, drove to the bank, withdrew £100, and went shopping.
- She wanted to buy a new dress but she couldn’t find one she liked.
- He’s a quietly spoken man, yet he still manages to command attention.
- She was suffering from a knee injury yet she still won the match.
- The conjunctions and, but, or, neither, and nor are also used to join two phrases of the same kind,
- This book is useful for planning and carrying out research.
- The former President and his wife were there.
- I use this chair when I am reading and working.
- Do you undertake detailed or intricate work?
- Jack and Jill fell down the hill.
- This is a complicated but intriguing film.
- Either you come to my place or I’ll meet you at work. Which do you prefer?
- Martin said he would either meet them for lunch or take them to tea.
- before the subject in the first clause of the group.
- in front of the main verb and after any auxiliary verb.
- Colin said he would (either) meet them for lunch, (or) take them to tea, or have them over for a coffee.
- Ian can (either) come with us or take a taxi later.
- Colin said he would meet them for lunch, and/or have them over for a coffee.
You can use or on its own to join two or more clauses,
but either cannot be used on its own.
When there is a negative choice between the subjects of two clauses, you can use the pair of words neither and nor to join the clauses.but either cannot be used on its own.
- It is neither possible nor desirable that they should be invited.
- Jane was not a fool; neither/nor was she prepared to be blamed for the error.
- There was barely enough meat for the children; neither did they have any bread.
- Eric hardly saw the fight; nor did he remember much about the incident later.
- The words either and neither can also be used as a pronoun or as a determiner. Each can then be used on its own; it does not then have a joining function.
- Either book will do. It doesn’t matter.
- Neither book is at all suitable, I’m sorry.
- You can have either.
- Either, or, neither, and nor can be used as conjunctions inside a noun phrase or a verb phrase.
- You can choose to study either Shakespeare or Keats.
- Neither Vimala nor Katie knew the answer.
- She is either desperate or just silly.
- He didn’t know whether to stay or go.