{"id":1272,"date":"2016-05-06T06:09:55","date_gmt":"2016-05-06T06:09:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/?p=1272"},"modified":"2016-05-06T06:09:55","modified_gmt":"2016-05-06T06:09:55","slug":"common-mistakes-in-the-use-of-conjunctions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/common-mistakes-in-the-use-of-conjunctions\/","title":{"rendered":"Common mistakes in the use of conjunctions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Conjunctions<\/strong> are connecting devices. We use them to connect two or more words, phrases or clauses. Common mistakes in the use of conjunctions are explained in this lesson.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: Hurry up, else you will not miss the train.<\/p>\n

Correct: Hurry up, else you will miss the train.<\/p>\n

\u2018Else\u2019 or \u2018or else\u2019<\/strong> is a conjunction. It means \u2018otherwise\u2019.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: You must act now nor you will miss the opportunity.<\/p>\n

Correct: You must act now or<\/strong> you will miss the opportunity.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: Neither he nor his brother are capable of doing this.<\/p>\n

Correct: Neither he nor his brother is<\/strong> capable of doing this.<\/p>\n

After \u2018neither\u2026nor\u2019,<\/strong> you need a singular verb if the expression after \u2018nor\u2019<\/strong> is singular in number.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: Neither the engineer nor his assistants was able to solve the problem.<\/p>\n

Correct: Neither the engineer nor his assistants were<\/strong> able to solve the problem.<\/p>\n

We use a plural verb when the noun after \u2018nor\u2019<\/strong> is plural in number.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: Although it is not raining, but I will take my umbrella.<\/p>\n

Correct: Although<\/strong> it is not raining, I will take my umbrella.<\/p>\n

Correct: It is not raining, but<\/strong> I will take my umbrella.<\/p>\n

We need just one conjunction to connect two clauses.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: He will not come unless you don\u2019t invite him.<\/p>\n

Correct: He will not come unless<\/strong> you invite<\/strong> him.<\/p>\n

Correct: He will not come if you don\u2019t invite<\/strong> him.<\/p>\n

Unless means \u2018if not\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Incorrect: You will fail unless you don\u2019t attend the classes regularly.<\/p>\n

Correct: You will fail unless you attend the classes regularly.<\/p>\n

Correct: You will fail if you don\u2019t attend the classes regularly.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: Scarcely had I finished my dinner than the police arrived.<\/p>\n

Correct: Scarcely had I finished my dinner when the police arrived.<\/p>\n

Note the pattern: scarcely\u2026when<\/strong><\/p>\n

Incorrect: No sooner had I put the phone down when it started ringing again.<\/p>\n

Correct: No sooner had I put the phone down than it started ringing again.<\/p>\n

Note the pattern: no sooner\u2026than<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sooner<\/strong> is in the comparative degree. Naturally it requires the comparative form than<\/strong> after it.<\/p>\n

After \u2018scarcely\u2019 and \u2018no sooner\u2019<\/strong>, we can use \u2018had\u2019 or \u2018did\u2019<\/strong>. The patterns are different.<\/p>\n

Study the examples given below.<\/p>\n

Scarcely had she finished<\/strong> one project when<\/strong> she started working on another.<\/p>\n

OR<\/p>\n

Scarcely did she finish one project when<\/strong> she started working on another.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: Unless you don\u2019t show me the results, I won\u2019t believe you.<\/p>\n

Correct: Unless you show me the results, I won\u2019t believe you.<\/p>\n

Correct: If you don\u2019t show me the results, I won\u2019t believe you.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: Be careful lest you will fall off the ladder.<\/p>\n

Correct: Be careful lest you should<\/strong> fall off the ladder.<\/p>\n

Should<\/strong> is the only auxiliary that can be used after lest.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Incorrect: Supposing if it rains, what will we do?<\/p>\n

Correct: Supposing it rains, what will we do?<\/p>\n

Correct: If it rains, what will we do?<\/p>\n

Both \u2018supposing\u2019 and \u2018if\u2019<\/strong> indicate a condition. So, use only one of them in a sentence.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: Until you don\u2019t come I will wait for you.<\/p>\n

Correct: Until you come I will wait for you.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: I like neither James or Peter.<\/p>\n

Correct: I like neither James nor<\/strong> Peter.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: I don\u2019t know whether she accepts our offer.<\/p>\n

Correct: I don\u2019t know whether she will accept<\/strong> our offer.<\/p>\n

When the verb in the main clause is in the present tense, we need a future tense in the subordinate clause to indicate future.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: I was too happy when I received your letter.<\/p>\n

Correct: I was very happy<\/strong> when I received your letter.<\/p>\n

\u2018Too\u2019<\/strong> means more than is necessary or wanted. It has a negative meaning.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: She is intelligent and beautiful to.<\/p>\n

Correct: She is intelligent and beautiful too<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: He ran as wind and won the race.<\/p>\n

Correct: He ran like<\/strong> wind and won the race.<\/p>\n

As<\/strong> is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Like<\/strong> is a preposition. It should be followed by a noun.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: He worked hard and he won the first prize.<\/p>\n

Correct: He worked hard and won the first prize.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both clauses have the same subject. In such cases avoid the repetition of the subject in the second clause.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: He ate not for he wanted to eat but for he liked eating.<\/p>\n

Correct: He ate not because<\/strong> he wanted to eat but because<\/strong> he liked eating.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: I didn\u2019t get married and my sister didn\u2019t get married.<\/p>\n

Correct: I didn\u2019t get married and my sister didn\u2019t either.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Correct: I didn\u2019t get married and neither did my sister. \/ I didn’t get married; neither did my sister<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Incorrect: I didn\u2019t go and she didn\u2019t go.<\/p>\n

Correct: I didn\u2019t go and she didn\u2019t either.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Correct: I didn\u2019t go and neither did she. \/ I didn’t go; neither did she.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Conjunctions are connecting devices. We use them to connect two or more words, phrases or clauses. Common mistakes in the use of conjunctions are explained in this lesson. Incorrect: Hurry up, else you will...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[251],"tags":[271],"class_list":["post-1272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-grammar","tag-conjunctions-mistakes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1272","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1272"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1272\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1273,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1272\/revisions\/1273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}