Back to: ACT English
Every sentence contains clauses and in many cases those clauses must be connected by conjunctions.
The following tables provide information about independent and dependent clauses; the different conjunctions you’re likely to see on the ACT English exam; and how to correctly combine conjunctions, clauses, and the appropriate punctuation.
| Clauses | ||
| Independent Clause | An independent clause is a complete thought with a subject and verb that can stand alone as a sentence. Two independent clauses can be joined by a comma and conjunction OR by a semicolon. | |
| comma + coordinating (FANBOYS) conjunction | The desert is hot in the daytime, but it is cold at night. | |
| semicolon | The desert is hot in the daytime; it is cold at night. | |
| semicolon + conjunctive adverb + comma | The desert is hot in the daytime; however, it is cold at night. | |
| Dependent Clause |
A dependent clause does not form a complete sentence and must be combined with an independent clause.
In both sentences, the clause “because she was tired” is not a complete sentence and is dependent on the other, independent clause. When the dependent clause is placed before the independent clause, it must begin with a conjunction and be followed by a comma. When it comes after the independent clause, only a conjunction is necessary. More information about conjunctions can be found below. |
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| Conjunctions | |
| Coordinating Conjunctions |
Examples FANBOYS ➜ for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so Coordinating conjunctions join independent clauses. A coordinating conjunction must be preceded by a comma:
Coordinating conjunctions and commas are also used in lists of three or more.
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| Conjunctive Adverbs |
Examples however, for example, meanwhile, therefore, furthermore Conjunctive adverbs can also be used to join independent clauses. A conjunctive adverb must be preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma.
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| Subordinating Conjunctions |
Examples because, though, although, since, unless, whether, wherever, whenever, while, such that, so that A subordinating conjunction joins two independent clauses by making one of the clauses dependent (or subordinate…hence subordinating conjunction). A sentence with a subordinating conjunction requires a comma only if the dependent clause comes first:
A sentence with a subordinating conjunction does not require a comma if the independent clause comes first.
Exceptions and Special Cases When contrasting two things using although, whereas, or while, put a comma between the clauses.
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| Correlative Conjunctions |
Examples either/or, neither/nor, both/and, not only/but also, whether/or Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that connect two sentence elements that are the same part of speech. These conjunctions indicate that the two things that happen at the same time or are both equal occurrences, options, or outcomes.
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| How Will the Test Try to Trick You? | ||
| The test will present a sentence with an incorrect conjunction that does not reflect the relation between the clauses. | Incorrect 🚫 | Correct ✅ |
| The toddler tried to use a fork, and more food landed on the floor than in his mouth. | The toddler tried to use a fork, but more food landed on the floor than in his mouth. | |
| The test will include incorrect correlative conjunctions by pairing the wrong words. | Incorrect 🚫 | Correct ✅ |
| As the trial dragged on for months, neither the defense or the prosecution felt confident that the jury would come to a decision. Both cats or dogs make great pets. | As the trial dragged on for months, neither the defense nor the prosecution felt confident that the jury would come to a decision. Both cats and dogs make great pets. | |
| Tips and Strategies | |
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Determine whether the clauses in a sentence are dependent or independent. Read each by itself and see if it can stand alone as its own sentence. |
The snowflakes floated gently to the ground in the morning, but they increased in quantity as the storm intensified throughout the day.
Both of these parts could be sentences (independent clauses), therefore they can be combined and separated with a comma and conjunction (but) |
| Remember the common formulas for combining clauses |
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