Conjunctions

Rules

• Rule 1: and

  and adds similar things together.

  Example: We played games and ate popcorn.

  Example: My cat is soft and fluffy.

• Rule 2: but

  but adds something different or surprising.

  Example: The test was hard, but I passed.

  Example: I like cats, but my brother likes dogs.

• Rule 3: or

  or gives a choice.

  Example: Do you want a banana or an apple?

  Example: We can draw or read a book.

• Rule 4: because and so

  because comes before the reason (it answers “Why?”). so comes before the result (it answers “What happened?”).

  Pattern: result + because + reason · reason + , so + result

  Example: I wore a hat because it was sunny.

  Example: It was sunny, so I wore a hat.

Common mistakes

• I stayed home so I was tired. → I stayed home because I was tired.

  Being tired is the reason → because.

• It was late, because we went home. → It was late, so we went home.

  Going home is the result → so.