12 Correlative Conjunctions to Improve Your Writing and Conversations.
English sentences would be bland without conjunctions, which are words used to join words, phrases, clauses, and sentences.
You’re probably aware of coordinating conjunctions such as and, but, so, etc. However, there’s another type of conjunctions you might be using incorrectly, and it’s “correlative conjunctions”.
You can improve your English writing and conversation skills by eliminating mistakes that significantly alter the quality of your work and your speech.
This brief article contains twelve of the most common “Correlative Conjunctions” to help you improve your English writing.
What are Correlative Conjunctions?
They are pairs of words used to join words (or groups of words of equal weight) in a sentence.
What’s the difference between a “Coordinating Conjunction” and a “Correlative Conjunction”?
A coordinating conjunction is a “word” that connects individual words, phrases, or clauses, while a correlative conjunction is a “pair of words” that joins words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence.
For example:
He did not study, yet he passed the exam. (Coordinating conjunction: yet).
I would rather sleep than go to the night club. (Correlative conjunction: rather… than).
Here are twelve more correlative conjunctions, each with a sentence illustrating how it’s used effectively in a sentence:
As much … as
This is used to say that two things are equal in amount or degree.
Example: “Writing is as much a profitable career as it is a creative outlet.”
No sooner … than
This is used to convey that one event happens immediately after another.
Example: “No sooner did we get on the plane than the bullet hit the rock.”
Just as … so
This correlative conjunction is used to compare two similar people or things.
Example: “Just as the French love their wine, so the English love their beer.”
Not only … but (also)
It is used to present two related pieces of information, usually with the latter being more surprising than the former.
Example: “She is not only beautiful but also intelligent.”
Rather … than
It means one thing is preferred to another or happens instead of another.
Example: “I would rather sing than dance.”
Not … but rather
This is used to say that one thing is false, while the other is true.
Example: “The problem is not their lack of funding, but rather their lack of planning.”
Neither … nor
It is used when mentioning two things that are not true or possible.
Example: “Neither the dance group nor the choir will perform today.”
Either … or
This is used to refer to a situation in which there is a choice between two different plans of action, but both together are not possible.
Example: “You either start a business or apply for a job.”
Both … and
It is used to emphasize that something is true, not just of one person, thing, or situation but also of another.
Example: “Both Apple and Microsoft are tech companies.”
Whether … or
This correlative conjunction expresses a doubt or choice between alternatives.
Example: “You must decide whether you play baseball or take dance classes.”
The … the
This correlative conjunction is used to reference one statement to another, with the second statement usually being the consequence of the first.
Example: “The cheaper the hotel, the worse the service.”
As … as
We use as to make comparisons when the things we are comparing are equal in some way.
Example: “The world’s biggest bull is as big as a small elephant.”
