Coordination

Coordination draws attention equally to two or more ideas. To coordinate single words or phrases, join them with a coordinating conjunction or with a pair of correlative conjunctions.

To coordinate independent clauses—word groups that could each stand alone as a sentence—join them with a comma and a coordinating conjunction or with a semicolon. The semicolon is often accompanied by a conjunctive adverb or a transitional phrase.

Heading: Coordination with a coordinating conjunction (but). Example sentence: Chemotherapy is effective in killing cancer cells, but the side effects can be debilitating.

Heading: Coordination with a semicolon. Example sentence: Chemotherapy is effective in killing cancer cells; however, the side effects can be debilitating.

Coordinate ideas are often best expressed in parallel phrasing.

Correlative conjunctions

Transitional expressions

Although subordination is ordinarily the most effective technique for combining short, choppy sentences, coordination is appropriate when the ideas are equal in importance.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: The hospital decides when patients will sleep and wake. It dictates what and when they will eat. It tells them when they may be with family and friends. Revised sentence: The hospital decides when patients will sleep and wake, dictates what and when they will eat, and tells them when they may be with family and friends.

Equivalent ideas are expressed as parallel elements of a compound predicate: decides . . . dictates . . . tells.

Exercise: Identifying coordination

Exercise: Identifying subordination

Exercise: Identifying sentence emphasis 1

Exercise: Identifying sentence emphasis 2

Exercise: Combining choppy sentences

Exercise: Using coordination and subordination 1

Exercise: Using coordination and subordination 2

Exercise: Using coordination and subordination 3

coordinating conjunction and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet; used to join elements of equal grammatical form.

correlative conjunction A pair of conjunctions connecting grammatically equal elements: either . . . or, neither . . . nor, whether . . . or, not only . . . but also, both . . . and.

coordinating conjunction and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet; used to join elements of equal grammatical form.

conjunctive adverb An adverb used with a semicolon to connect independent clauses: however, furthermore, therefore.