Conjunctions: Correlative
There are four types of conjunctions:
Coordinating, Subordinating, Adverbial (Conjunctive adverbs),
and Correlative.
Correlative conjunctions are different from
the other types because they work in pairs, joining words,
phrases, or clauses that are equal (noun to noun, for example).
There are only 5 pairs to remember:
- both. . .and
- either. . .or
- neither. . .nor
- not only. . .but (also)
- whether. . .or
The conjunctions must go right in front of
the words, phrases or clauses being joined.
Two subjects:
Both Mary and Tom stayed late.
Two verbs: Jason
will either go to MPC or take a job
for a year.
Two phrases:
Not only in the morning but also in the
afternoon, I
nap.
Two independent clauses: Either I will stay
home, or I will go to
work.
(Note: be sure to separate
independent clauses with a comma as would with a coordinating
conjunction.)
Since both. . .and adds ideas
together, a plural verb is necessary when subjects are joined.
Both the dog and the cat are very friendly.
When either. . .or, neither. . .nor,
not only. . .but also, and whether. . .or join subjects, the verb
matches the second subject only.
Either the TV or the neighbors
are making a lot of noise.
Either the
neighbors or the TV is making a lot of
noise.
Neither Stephen
nor the girls are in the house.
Neither
the girls nor Stephen is in the house.
Not only
Kim but also Kim’s parents are coming for a
visit.
Not only
Kim’s parents but also Kim is coming for a
visit.
Whether
the dogs or the cat stays at home hasn’t
been decided.
Whether
the cat or the dogs stay at home hasn’t
been decided.
Whether . . .or is somewhat
different from the other correlative conjuuctions. Note that in
the preceding sentence “Whether the dogs or the cat stays home”
is a noun clause that is the subject for the verb “hasn’t been
decided.” Also, a shortened form with “not” is often used with
negatives.
Whether
I work or I don’t work, I still want to get paid.
Whether
I work or not, I still want to get paid.
(Note: in both
of the preceding sentences, the whether. . .or
clause is a subordinating clause, not independent.
Neither. . .nor means “not
one and not the other,” so it’s important to avoid adding
“not” in the sentence, or this will result in a double
negative. However, with not only. . .but also,
it’s correct to maintain “not.” These sentences have basically
the same message:
Neither do I like Bob,
nor do I want to see him.
Not only do I not
like Bob, but also I do not want to see him.
When neither. . .nor and
not only. . .but also are used to join independent
clauses, the subject and verb after the negative parts of the
paired conjunctions must be reversed, often requiring the
addition of a form of DO (do, does, did).
Neither
do I want to study, nor do I want to
work. (Both neither and nor include
the negative “not,” so the subjects and verbs in both clauses
have to be reversed.)
Not only
does Harry purr a lot, but also he sleeps
20 hours a day. (Only not only includes the
negative “not,” so only the subject and verb in the first clause
need to be reversed.)
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