Year 3 English: Conjunctions: joining words and ideas
Part of the Year 3 English word classes chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Conjunctions: joining words and ideas
A conjunction joins two words, two phrases or two parts of a sentence. The word and joins things, and so joins a reason to its result.
Some conjunctions join equal parts: and, but, or, so. Others join a main part to an extra part, such as because, when, if, although. You will learn more about these in Chapter 4.
The simple test: does the word sit between two parts that it joins?
Key ideas
- A conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences.
- And, but, or and so join equal parts: cats and dogs, tea or juice.
- Because, when, if and although join a main part to an extra part.
- The conjunction sits between the two parts it joins.
Method. Find the job of and in the sentence, then name its word class.
- Read the sentence and find the word. Look at the word in its sentence, not on its own.Sam likes apples and pears.
- Ask the test question. A conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences.Check whether and joins two parts of the sentence. It does, so it is a conjunction.
- Write the answer. conjunction
Check. Check the job of and once more in the sentence. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Find each word in the sentence that is a conjunction.
- Read the sentence. Check the job of each word.Mia was late, so she ran.
- Pick out the conjunctions. Each conjunction does the job that the chapter describes.so
- Write the answer. so
Check. Each word in the answer is a conjunction. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Find the two parts on each side of but.
- Find the first part. We can play outside is the first part.We can play outside
- Find the second part. It is raining is the second part.it is raining
- Write the answer. We can play outside; it is raining
Check. But joins the two parts, and both parts are full ideas. ✓
Watch out. But shows that the second part is a different idea.
Watch out
Watch out: so is a conjunction in Mia was late, so she ran. It is not an adverb, because it joins two parts. Some words that sound like conjunctions are really adverbs, such as so in I am so happy.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Make two short sentences together, such as We like the park and It is windy. Join them with but, then with and. Ask your child which joining word fits the meaning.
Exercise 3F Practice: conjunctions
Method. Find the job of and in the sentence, then name its word class.
- Read the sentence and find the word. Look at the word in its sentence, not on its own.Sam likes apples and pears.
- Ask the test question. A conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences.Check whether and joins two parts of the sentence. It does, so it is a conjunction.
- Write the answer. conjunction
Check. Check the job of and once more in the sentence. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Find the job of or in the sentence, then name its word class.
- Read the sentence and find the word. Look at the word in its sentence, not on its own.Would you like tea or juice?
- Ask the test question. A conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences.Check whether or joins two parts of the sentence. It does, so it is a conjunction.
- Write the answer. conjunction
Check. Check the job of or once more in the sentence. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Find the job of so in the sentence, then name its word class.
- Read the sentence and find the word. Look at the word in its sentence, not on its own.Mia was late, so she ran.
- Ask the test question. A conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences.Check whether so joins two parts of the sentence. It does, so it is a conjunction.
- Write the answer. conjunction
Check. Check the job of so once more in the sentence. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Find the job of although in the sentence, then name its word class.
- Read the sentence and find the word. Look at the word in its sentence, not on its own.Ella tidied her room although it was late.
- Ask the test question. A conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences.Check whether although joins two parts of the sentence. It does, so it is a conjunction.
- Write the answer. conjunction
Check. Check the job of although once more in the sentence. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Find each word in the sentence that is a conjunction.
- Read the sentence. Check the job of each word.We can play outside, but it is raining.
- Pick out the conjunctions. Each conjunction does the job that the chapter describes.but
- Write the answer. but
Check. Each word in the answer is a conjunction. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Find each word in the sentence that is a conjunction.
- Read the sentence. Check the job of each word.I stayed inside because it was cold.
- Pick out the conjunctions. Each conjunction does the job that the chapter describes.because
- Write the answer. because
Check. Each word in the answer is a conjunction. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Find each word in the sentence that is a conjunction.
- Read the sentence. Check the job of each word.Ben wants a book or a pencil.
- Pick out the conjunctions. Each conjunction does the job that the chapter describes.or
- Write the answer. or
Check. Each word in the answer is a conjunction. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Find each word in the sentence that is a conjunction.
- Read the sentence. Check the job of each word.You can come if you are quiet.
- Pick out the conjunctions. Each conjunction does the job that the chapter describes.if
- Write the answer. if
Check. Each word in the answer is a conjunction. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Choose the joining word that shows a choice.
- Read the sentence. We could go to the park, or stay at home. It is a choice.a choice
- Check the other words. And would join two options, not give a choice. But would show a contrast.and, but: not right
- Write the answer. or
Check. We could go or stay: one choice. ✓
Watch out. Or shows a choice between two things.
Method. Think about the meaning: the bag was heavy, which is the reason.
- Read the sentence. Because the bag was heavy, Ben carried it slowly. The reason comes first.heavy, so Ben carried it
- Check but. But would show a difference, and the sentence does not contrast two things.but: wrong meaning
- Write the answer. so
Check. So joins the reason and the result. ✓
Watch out. So joins a reason to its result.
Method. Find the part before so and the part after it.
- Part before so. Mia was late is the reason.Mia was late
- Part after so. She ran is the result.she ran
- Write the answer. Mia was late; she ran
Check. So joins the reason and the result. ✓
Watch out. Each part is a full idea with a verb.
Method. Find the one word that is a conjunction.
- Read the sentence. Check the job of each word.Ben wants a book or a pencil.
- Find the word that is a conjunction. Only one word in this sentence does this job.or is a conjunction
- Write the answer. or
Check. Read the sentence again and check or. ✓
Watch out. A conjunction sits between the two parts that it joins.
Method. Check whether the word joins two parts.
- Look at and, because and but. Each joins two parts of a sentence or two words.and, because, but
- Look at cat and tall. Cat is a noun and tall is an adjective, so they do not join anything.cat: noun; tall: adjective
- Write the answer. and, because, but
Check. Three conjunctions and two other classes. ✓
Watch out. Conjunctions sit between the parts they join.
Method. Put and between two nouns.
- Use two nouns. Cats and dogs are both nouns.cats and dogs
- Check the joining word. And sits between the two nouns it joins.and
- Write the answer. Any correct sentence, for example: We like cats and dogs.
Check. And joins the two nouns. ✓
Watch out. Check that the joining word sits between the two parts.
Method. Check what follows the word, and what it joins.
- Look at because. Because joins I stayed inside to it was cold.I stayed inside / it was cold
- Check the job. A preposition is followed by a noun. It was cold has a verb, so because is a conjunction.because: conjunction
- Write the answer. No. Because joins two parts: I stayed inside and it was cold. It is followed by a whole part with a verb, not a noun, so it is a conjunction.
Check. Because joins the two parts of the sentence. ✓
Watch out. Look for a verb after the joining word.
Method. Put but between the two parts.
- Write the first part. We like the park is the first part.We like the park
- Add but and the second part. But joins it is windy, which shows a difference.We like the park, but it is windy.
- Write the answer. We like the park, but it is windy.
Check. But joins the two parts. ✓
Watch out. Put a comma before but when you join two sentences.