GRADE 8 English HEROES AND HEROINES:AFRICA – GRAMMAR IN USE:CONJUCTIONS Notes
Grammar in Use: Conjunctions
Subject: English — Topic: Heroes and Heroines: Africa — Age: 13 (Kenya)
What is a conjunction?
A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases or clauses. (Note: the correct spelling is "conjunctions".) Conjunctions help show how ideas join or contrast. Below are the main types with examples about African heroes and heroines.
1) Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS)
These join equal parts: words with words, or clause with clause.
FANBOYS = for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
- Wangari Maathai planted trees and taught people to care for the land.
- Nelson Mandela fought for freedom, but he also wanted peace.
- Either the school will invite a speaker, or students will lead the assembly.
- Dedan Kimathi led many fighters, so he became a symbol of resistance.
2) Subordinating conjunctions
These join a subordinate (dependent) clause to a main clause. They show time, reason, condition, contrast, etc.
Common ones: because, although, when, while, if, since, after, before, unless
- Because the forest was being cut down, Wangari planted many trees.
- When Yaa Asantewaa heard the news, she prepared to lead her people.
- Nelson Mandela stayed strong although he faced many hard years in prison.
- If students learn from heroes, they can become brave leaders too.
Comma rule (simple): If the subordinating clause comes before the main clause, use a comma. Example: "When the crowd cheered, she smiled." If it comes after, usually no comma: "She smiled when the crowd cheered."
3) Correlative conjunctions
Pairs of words that work together to join equal sentence parts.
Common pairs: either...or, neither...nor, both...and, not only...but also
- Both Nelson Mandela and Wangari Maathai showed courage in different ways.
- Not only did she lead her people, but she also inspired many young girls.
- Neither the harsh prison nor the long exile broke his spirit.
Tips for using conjunctions
- Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction joining two independent clauses: "She led the group, and she taught them."
- Do not put a comma when joining two words or phrases: "bravery and honesty".
- With subordinating conjunctions, remember the comma rule shown above.
- Keep sentences clear—choose the conjunction that shows the correct relationship (reason, contrast, choice, time).
Practice — try these
-
Fill the blank with a suitable coordinating conjunction (for/and/but/or/so):
a) Wangari planted trees ______ she taught others how to plant them.
b) He wanted freedom, ______ he never gave up.
-
Join the sentences using a subordinating conjunction (because, although, when, if):
a) The village welcomed her. She returned home from the mission.
b) He trained hard. He wanted to be a leader. -
Choose the correct correlative pair:
a) _______ Mandela _______ Maathai were admired by many. (Both...and / Either...or)
b) _______ the rivers were dry _______ the people still worked hard. (Although / Either) -
Add a comma if needed (write "comma" or "no comma"):
a) If the students study they will learn from heroes.
b) She led the march, and she spoke to the crowd. -
Identify the conjunction in this sentence:
"Neither fear nor failure stopped the heroine from trying."
Answers
- a) and b) so (or "but" could fit depending on meaning)
-
a) When she returned home from the mission, the village welcomed her.
b) He trained hard because he wanted to be a leader. -
a) Both...and
b) Although -
a) comma (When a subordinate clause starts a sentence: "If the students study, they will learn from heroes.")
b) no comma (This sentence already has a comma and is correct: "She led the march, and she spoke to the crowd.") - Conjunctions: "Neither" and "nor" (a correlative pair)
Quick practice idea: Pick a Kenyan or African hero you admire. Write two short sentences and join them with a conjunction. Try one coordinating and one subordinating sentence.