Uses of Conjunctions

Conjunctions connect thoughts, ideas, actions, nouns, clauses, etc.

Martha went to the market and bought fresh vegetables.

In this sentence, the conjunction and connects the two things Martha did.

Martha went to the market, and I went to the hardware store.

Here, and connects two sentences, preventing the choppiness which would arise if we used too many short sentences.

Conjunctions can also make lists.

I can’t decide between the blue shirt and the red shirt.

We barbequed hamburgers, hotdogs, and sausages.

When using a conjunction, make sure that the parts which are being joined by the conjunction have a parallel structure (i.e. that they use the same verb forms, etc.)

I worked quickly yet am careful.

Am careful is not in the same form as quickly; this creates faulty parallelism. The verbs need to be in the same form.

I worked quickly yet carefully.

The two adverbs modify the verb worked.

I am quick yet careful.

The two adjectives modify the pronoun I.