CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS

CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS

1. Correlative conjunctions come in pairs. They still serve the purpose of joining or linking things in a sentence, but they are a special type of conjunction pair that works together ("co") to link things or ideas that correlate to each other.

   • The 15 most common correlative conjunctions
     • As / as
       • Compare nouns using an adjective or an adverb. We use the structure as + adjective/adverb + as to compare two ideas that are relatively similar (comparative of equality).
     • Both / and
       • It connects both two subjects and two objects, giving equal importance to both. It places greater emphasis than by simply using the conjunction and
     • Either / or
       • It offers a choice between two possibilities. Either one option, or the other, it doesn't matter which.
     • Neither / nor
       • It overrides two possibilities, unlike either... or... which offers a choice between two
     • Hardly / when
       • Emphasizes that one action occurs just before another. It is a very interesting connector for telling stories or accounts of past events.
     • Scarcely / when
       • This connector is exactly the same as the previous one in all senses: it has the same meaning, it is also combined with when, it admits the same two positions in the sentence, it keeps the inversion as hardly and it is used with the same verb tenses.
     • No sooner / than
       • We continue with the third connector that admits the inversion of subject and verb, just like hardly... when... and scarcely... when... . However, this one is combined with the preposition than, instead of when. Its meaning? Similar to the other two connectors.
     • If / then
       • We use the correlative conjunction if... then... to introduce a conditional sentence when we want to emphasize the result of that condition.
     • Just as / so (too)
       • It introduces a relationship of similarity between two subjects, since so is a conjunction meaning 'in the same way / correspondingly'. In some cases we can apply subject-verb inversion, although it is not obligatory.
     • Not only (or simply) / but also
       • We use the conjunction not only... but also... to connect two ideas, giving more emphasis to the second one. It can connect nouns or adjectives, but also complete sentences. In addition, we can place the conjunction either at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle.
     • Not / but
       • Although it is a conjunction very similar to the previous one, it expresses a very different idea. In this case we are not talking about two valid ideas, highlighting the second one, but we discard the first option to make way for the second one.
     • Rather / than
       • The correlative conjunction rather... than..., used in combination with the modal would, is synonymous with prefer. It requires the preposition rather than in the second part of the sentence to introduce the option that you do not prefer. You can introduce a noun, an adjective or a verb.
     • Such / that
       • The function of this conjunction is to intensify a quality before introducing the effect or consequence.
     • What with / and
       • It is used to introduce the reasons that lead to a specific situation.
     • Whether / or
       • It is used to introduce two possibilities or alternatives.