Words that Show Relationships Between Ideas
Along with writing grammatically correct sentences, showing the specific relationships between
the ideas of the sentence is extremely important in writing in general but especially in academic
writing. Effective writing consists of understanding the use of and employing a variety of
sentences that use coordination and/or subordination.
Coordination expresses equality: two things that are coordinated have roughly the same
importance, rank or value.
Subordination expresses some sort of inequality: one idea is subordinate or dependent upon
another or is of lesser importance, rank or value, creating a hierarchical relationship between
ideas.
Words that Link Independent Clauses:
An Independent Clause has both a subject and a verb AND can stand on its own.
Coordinating Conjunctions connect words, phrases and clauses of equal grammatical rank
(i.e. independent clauses):
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (the FANBOYS).
Conjunctive Adverbs are used to join ideas. Conjunctive adverbs never connect words,
phrases or dependent clauses; they coordinate independent clauses only. Conjunctive adverbs
are movable and can thus occupy different positions within the independent clause in which they
stand. Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb. If the
conjunctive adverb does not begin the second independent clause, set it off by commas and use
a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses. Common conjunctive adverbs and their
function is as follows:
To show addition:
also, furthermore, moreover, besides
To show contrast:
however, still, nevertheless, conversely, nonetheless,
instead
To show comparison:
similarly, likewise
To show emphasis:
indeed, certainly
To show result:
therefore, thus, consequently
To show time:
next, then, meanwhile, finally, subsequently
Other transitional phrases can be used as markers between independent clauses and phrases.
They are:
after as
as a result
at any rate
at the same rate
by the way
even so
for example
in addition
in fact
in other words
on the contrary
on the other hand
Words that Create Dependent Clauses
Subordinating Conjunctions join clauses that are not equal in rank. These words make the
clause dependent that cannot stand by itself; the dependent clause must be joined to an
independent clause. Subordinating conjunctions must be at the beginning of the dependent
clause they introduce.
A Note on punctuation:
1. There is no comma between the independent clause and the subordinating conjunction.
2. If the subordinated clause begins the sentence, then a comma comes before the
independent clause; for example:
Because the cat jumped, the dog barked.
But if the subordinated clause is after the independent clause, no comma is necessary; for
example:
The dog barked because the cat jumped.
3. The following are the most common subordinating conjunctions:
after
although
as
as far as
as if
as soon as
as though
because
before
even if
even though
how
if
in as much as
in case
in order that
in sofar as
in that
lest
no matter how
now that
once
provided
provided that
rather than
since
so that
supposing
supposing that
than
that
though
unless
until
when
whenever
where
wherever
whether
while
why
Relative Pronouns serve as markers of subordinate or dependent clauses and allow you to use
adjective clauses for subordinate information. The relative pronouns are:
that, what, which, who, whoever, whom, whomever, whose
NOTES:
*Information adapted from Prentice Hall's Handbook for Writers
C:\Activity Supervisor\Resource Sheets\Words Showing Relations.doc