Sentence cohesion, part 2
COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
TRANSITIONAL WORDS
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Conjunctions
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Coordinating conjunctions join
grammatically
equal structures as follows:
Jim and Jack (two people or subjects)
Tripped or fell (two actions or verbs)
A large yet athletic man (two describing words or
adjectives)
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Moved quickly but carefully (two words describing
actions or adverbs)
Joining Sentences
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Coordinating Conjunctions can also join
together two independent clauses to form
a compound sentence.
An independent clause
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contains a subject , a verb and a
complete thought.
 Example:
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Male babies often wear blue, and female babies
wear pink.
Coordinating Conjunctions
There are 7 coordinating conjunctions, which you can
memorize by remembering the words
 fan boys:

 For : Shows reason (The second clause gives a reason for
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the first.)
And : Shows addition
Nor: Shows negative alternative
But: Shows contrast
Or: Shows alternative or choice
Yet: Shows unexpected contrast (similar to although)
So: Shows result (the first clause results in the second)
Coordinating Conjunctions
There are 7 coordinating conjunctions, which you can memorize by
remembering the words
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fan boys:
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 For : Shows reason (The second clause gives a reason for the first.)
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People associated blue with good spirits, for those spirits lived in
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the blue sky.
And : Shows addition
The color doesn’t make any difference to the baby, and even the
parents know that.
Nor: Shows negative alternative
Very few parents today know the reasons behind these traditional
colors , nor do parents care.
Coordinating conjunctions cont.
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But: Shows contrast
Many years later people still dressed males in
blue, but they chose pink for the females.
Or: Shows alternative or choice
The superstition about evil spirits disappeared , or
people might have dressed their girls in blue also.
Yet: Shows unexpected contrast (similar to although)
People of old cared about their female children, yet they
did not care enough to dress them in blue.
So: Shows result (the first clause results in the second)
People wanted to protect their infant boys from evil
spirits, so they dressed the boys in blue.
Coordinating conjunctions cont.
 Beware of then and also. They might look like
coordinating conjunctions but they are not.
clause
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1. The Internet has become very important today,
and ………
2. Nowadays, people love the speed and convenience
of email so…….
3. Many people also shop on the Internet, for it…..
4. Companies without computer technology must
change or…………
5.Prices of computers continue to drop, yet…
Complete sentences cont.
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6. Ten years ago, hardly anyone used the Internet,
but……..
7. Many people don’t realize that their cars contain
hundreds of computer chips, nor……..
Connecting Sentences with Transitional Words
 You can join two sentences consisting of two
independent clauses together using a semicolon, a
transitional word and a comma.
A semicolon (;) transitional word,
A transitional word shows the transition
from one idea to another. It explains how
or in what way the ideas in the two clauses
are related.
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Transitional Words List
 Here is a list of transitional words
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Adapted from Gateways to Academic Writing by Alan Meyers
furthermore, moreover, acts like ‘and’
also
however
acts like ‘but’
nevertheless
acts like ‘yet’
therefore, consequently
acts like ‘so’
otherwise, instead
acts like ‘or’
meanwhile, later,
afterwards
shows time relationship
A tip for you
Remember that the (;) before the transitional word
and not the transitional word is what joins the
sentences together. YOU MUST have a (;) before the
transitional word and a (,) afterwards.
 Example
 Fatima studies during the week ; however, she likes
 to go out on the weekends.
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Rewrite each sentence. Replace the coordinating conjunction
with a conjunctive adverb. Use the correct punctuation.
 1. Thor Heyerdahl was born and raised in Norway,
but he is most famous for his travel to Polynesia in
the South Pacific.
Thor Heyerdahl was born and raised in
 Norway ; however, he is most famous for his travel to
Polynesia in the South Pacific.
1.
Exercise cont.
1.
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In 1936, he learned the legend of a pale-skinned god
Tiki, who brought the ancestors of the Polynesian
natives from the West across the sea, so he logically
concluded that they came from Peru in South
America.
In 1936, he learned the legend of a pale-skinned
God Tiki, who brought the ancestors of the
Polynesian natives from the West across the sea;
therefore, he logically concluded that they came from
Peru in South America.
Exercise cont.
 3. He wanted to prove that such a voyage was
possible, so in 1947 he built a raft like the kind he
thought the early natives used.
He wanted to prove that such a voyage was
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Possible; consequently, in 1947 he built a raft like
the kind he thought the early natives used.
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Exercise cont.
 4. He made a 45 foot long raft, which he called
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Kon-Tiki, out of logs and bamboo, and he used
only rope to hold the logs together.
He made a 45 foot long raft, which he called
 Kon-Tiki, out of logs and bamboo ; furthermore, he
used only rope to hold the logs together.
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Exercise cont.
1.
He and a crew of six had to be incredibly skilled and
brave, or they would never have completed their
4,300 mile voyage across the open sea.
 He and a crew of six had to be incredibly skilled and
brave ; otherwise, they would never have completed
their 4,300 mile voyage across the open sea.
Exercise cont.
 6. After 101 days, the raft reached the reefs near a
Polynesian island, but strong waves smashed the
cabin and broke the mast in two.
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After 101 days, the raft reached the reefs near a
Polynesian island ; however, strong waves smashed
the cabin and broke the mast in two.
Exercise completed
 7. The boat was destroyed and the crew thrown into
the water , yet they were able to wade their way to
the island.
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The boat was destroyed and the crew thrown into
the water ; nevertheless, they were able to wade their
way to the island.
First half of exercise
Correct these sentences
Mike’s laptop started playing up just when it was time to upload his essay
therefore there was nothing in the lecturer’s inbox when he went to take a
look.
 Mike didn’t like his chances of getting through the traffic to submit his
essay to his lecturer personally instead he decided that he would stay
where he was and send his work through by carrier pigeon.
 Unfortunately the bird had to fly over a clay pigeon shooting range, and
some shot hit the low-flying essay pouch this caused holes in the paper.
 A friend of Mike’s at the scene whistled the bird down decided to save
the day consequently he called an Uber vehicle and paid to put the essay
in the car.
 The Uber driver delivered the essay late, only after he’d dropped off three
more important clients therefore the lecturer had no choice but to deduct
4% from the essay.
 When the lecturer handed back the essay he told Mike there were serious
holes in his argument moreover Mike was asked to report to the campus
manager’s office to explain why bird droppings were stuck to his minithesis.
Second half of exercise
 Mike was in despair later when he had calmed down he visited
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the University’s vice-chancellor who happened to be his
father.
‘Excellent initiative to send your essay in like that,’ his father
said nowadays though people love the convenience of email
mail so obviously you weren’t thinking straight.
‘Email?’ said Mike so that’s what I should have done
unfortunately no-one told me about that therefore I’m late
and I am going to fail.
‘Don’t worry!’ laughed his father ‘I am the boss of this
university consequently I can get your mark raised to 90%.’
‘You’re a good father said Mike consequently I will behave
myself and make you proud of me by delivering my next essay
via a parachute drop.