There are three main types of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions and correlative conjunctions. Conjunctions are a part of speech or word class often described as ‘joining words’, because many conjunctions, such as ‘but’ and ‘and’, join words or clauses together to form one sentence. For more on basic conjunctions, please visit the relevant post.
While coordinating and subordinating conjunctions tend to be individual words, correlative conjunctions tend to have two parts and function to connect equal words and/or phrases and share ideas that belong together in one sentence.
Correlative conjunctions
Here are some examples of common correlative conjunctions:
- Both…and
- Either…or
- Neither…nor
- Not only…but also
- Whether…or
- As…as
- So…as
- Such…as
- No sooner…than
- Rather…than
- Scarcely…when
- The…the
Correlative conjunctions join two equal elements. This means that the elements are often of a similar word class. This could be a noun/pronoun with another noun/pronoun, or an adjective with another adjective, or an adverb with an adverb:
Pronouns
- Either you come to the party, or you stay home.
- Not only did he finish his project early, but he also exceeded expectations.
Nouns
- You can either eat pizza or have a salad for dinner.
Proper nouns
- Neither John nor Sarah wants to go to the movie.
Adjectives
- The car is neither blue nor red; it’s green.
- She is both intelligent and hardworking.
- I don’t know whether I should choose the red or the blue dress.
Noun and adjective
- She is not only a talented singer but also a skilled dancer.
Verbs
- We will go to the beach tomorrow, whether it rains or shines.
Adverbs
- She ran both swiftly and gracefully across the finish line.
Adverb phrases
- We will both study for the exam and go to the movies tonight.
Dissimilar parts of speech
Sometimes correlative conjunctions also help to establish relationships between different parts of a sentence that may not be of a similar word class:
- She is as tall as her brother.
- This cake is as delicious as the one we had last week.
- It was such a hot day that we decided to go swimming.
- He is such a good cook that everyone loves his meals.
Comparative structure
Adjectives (words that describe nouns) and adverbs (words that describe verbs) can be modified to express degrees of comparison; this is called the comparative and the superlative in grammar. These forms allow us to compare the degree or intensity of a characteristic possessed by different objects, individuals or actions.
The classic comparative structure is characterised by the inflection -er:
- Casey is taller than Michael.
The classic superlative structure is characterised by the inflection -est:
- Karen is the tallest girl in the class.
However, the above options only serve to express a difference. What if Casey and Michael are the same height?
- Casey is as tall as Michael.
As… as
The alternative comparative structure formed using the correlative conjunction “as… as” is used in English to show equality or similarity between two things or actions. Here are the main ways in which it is used:
Comparing adjectives or adverbs
In this case, “as… as” is used to compare the degree of qualities or characteristics of two things.
- She is as tall as her brother.
- He runs as fast as a cheetah.
Comparing verbs
“As… as” can also be used to compare the manner in which two actions are performed:
- He speaks as fluently as a native speaker.
- She dances as gracefully as a swan.
Comparing nouns
“As… as” can be used to compare nouns, in a literal or a metaphorical sense:
- Bananas are as cheap as oranges
- Time is as precious as gold.
Comparing quantities
“As much as” or “as many as” are used to compare quantities of things:
- She ate as much as she could.
- There are as many stars in the sky as grains of sand on the beach.
Comparing prices
In financial or commercial contexts, “as… as” can be used to compare prices or costs:
- This jacket is as expensive as that one.
- The bananas are the same price as the oranges.
- The price of the car is as high as I expected.
Comparing frequency
“As often as” is used to compare the frequency of actions:
- He goes to the gym as often as he can.
- They meet for lunch as often as possible.
Comparing abilities or skills
“As… as” can be used to compare abilities or skills:
- She is as talented as her sister.
- He is as skilled in woodworking as his grandfather.
Parallel structure
Parallel structure, also known as parallelism, refers to using the same grammatical structure or pattern within a sentence or a paragraph. This means that when listing items, ideas or actions, they should be presented in a consistent manner.
Parallel structure helps maintain clarity and coherence in writing by making it easier for readers to understand the relationships between different elements. For example, in a series of phrases or clauses, each element should follow the same grammatical form, such as using consistent verb tenses, sentence structures, or parts of speech. This consistency enhances the flow of the writing and emphasises the equality or similarity of the items being compared or contrasted.
Correlative conjunctions come in pairs, such as “either…or,” “neither…nor,” “both…and,” “not only…but also.” So, on a sentence level, when using these conjunctions, one must ensure that the elements they connect are structured in a parallel manner.
This means that the grammatical structure and form of the elements on either side of the conjunction should match:
- He not only likes to read books but also to write stories.
- Not only does he like to read books but also to write stories.
In the above example, “to read books” and “to write stories” are both infinitive phrases, maintaining parallel structure. This consistent structure clarifies the relationship between the connected elements.
There is a quiz that teaches more about the inversion of the not only… but also… structure on the Quiz page.
Comparing the comparative without conjunctions
There is a further comparative structure for comparing the comparative. It uses the comparative form of adjectives or adverbs to compare two things, in the following example, age and ease of learning:
- The younger you are, the easier it is to learn.
The comparative form is typically indicated by the use of ‘more’ or ‘less’ for adjectives, or by adding -er before the adverb or adjective for some shorter ones.
In the above example, “younger” and “easier” are the comparative forms of “young” and “easy,” respectively. The structure of the [comparative adjective/adverb] [subject], the [comparative adjective/adverb] [predicate] expresses the relationship between the two compared elements, indicating that as one thing increases or decreases, the other also increases or decreases proportionally. The structure compares the degree or extent of one thing or action to another.
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https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/