10 Examples of Conjunction Sentences: Strengthening Grammar Instruction
If you’ve ever taught a lesson on conjunctions and watched your learners stare back with that familiar blend of confusion and resignation, you are in good company. As English teachers, we juggle independent clauses, complex sentences, and different conjunctions while also trying to keep our instruction accessible, accurate, and engaging. These 10 examples of conjunction sentences will strengthen grammar instruction in a way that is student accessible and friendly.
What Are Conjunction Sentences?
Let’s simplify the task.
Conjunctions may be single words or pairs of words, but they hold an impressive amount of power in our language. They connect groups of words, join clauses of equal grammatical rank, establish logical relationships, and prevent those common errors like the dreaded run-on sentence.
Here’s the foundation we often remind students of:
- Coordinating conjunctions (the most commonly used conjunctions—FANBOYS) join equal elements to create compound sentences.
- Subordinating conjunctions introduce subordinate clauses, helping form complex sentences.
- Correlative conjunctions work in pairs to ensure parallel structure.
- Conjunctive adverbs join independent clauses and signal cause, contrast, or sequence.
Whether you’re using the Cambridge Dictionary, classroom anchor charts, or student-created notes, these categories support students’ understanding of sentence structures and the parts of speech at play.
Below are 10 clear, student friendly examples you can use directly in a mini-lesson, a conjunction worksheet, or as model sentences for your next writing activity.
10 Conjunction Sentence Examples With Explanations
1. “I wanted to finish my ice cream, but my friend kept asking me for help with the project.”
Type: Coordinating conjunction (but)
Explanation: But connects two independent clauses of equal importance and shows contrast, forming a compound sentence.
2. “The following sentence is short because I didn’t feel like writing a long one.”
Type: Subordinating conjunction (because)
Explanation: Because introduces a subordinate clause that explains the reason, creating a clear cause-and-effect relationship.
3. “I studied for the quiz; however, I still felt nervous when the teacher passed it out.”
Type: Conjunctive adverb (however)
Explanation: A semicolon joins the two independent clauses, and however signals contrast while preventing a run-on sentence.
4. “Both my best friend and my brother forgot their lunch today.”
Type: Correlative conjunction (both…and)
Explanation: Correlative conjunctions come in pairs and require parallel structure on both sides of the conjunction pair.
5. “I realized that my backpack was heavier than usual.”
Type: Subordinating conjunction (that)
Explanation: That introduces a subordinate clause explaining what was realized, linking two parts of the sentence smoothly.
6. “You can start a sentence with ‘and,’ yet lots of kids think it’s not allowed.”
Type: Coordinating conjunctions (and/yet)
Explanation: Coordinating conjunctions can appear at the beginning or middle of a sentence; here, yet joins two independent clauses showing contrast.
7. “I can finish this assignment now, or I can do it after soccer practice.”
Type: Coordinating conjunction (or)
Explanation: Or connects two choices that are grammatically equal, creating a compound sentence with clear options.
8. “Since I practiced using conjunctions, I can remember them much more easily now.”
Type: Subordinating conjunction (since)
Teacher Explanation: Since introduces a time or cause relationship, showing why remembering conjunctions has become easier.
9. “Neither the math homework nor the science project stressed me out today.”
Type: Correlative conjunction (neither…nor)
Teacher Explanation: This pair joins two subjects and requires the verb to agree with the second subject, reinforcing parallel structure.
10. “We reviewed the most common pairs of conjunctions; consequently, the worksheet felt pretty easy.”
Type: Conjunctive adverb (consequently)
Teacher Explanation: The semicolon joins two independent clauses, and consequently signals the effect that follows the earlier action.
Strengthening Conjunction Sentence Instruction
When students understand how main clauses, subordinate clauses, and conjunctive relationships work together, they gain far more than just better grades in grammar. They gain control over language and their writing. They learn to avoid negative sentences, organize ideas into complete sentences, and recognize the logical flow of their own work.
The next time you teach conjunctions or create a conjunction worksheet or learning activity the above examples are easily adaptive for your unique requirements. They’re intentionally flexible so you can model, scaffold, or extend depending on your students’ needs.
