ABSTRACT
Conjunctions are words or phrases that join parts of a sentence together, or link a sentence to the next one. Effective reading and writing requires clarity about their meaning. This unit describes the different functions of conjunctions and practises their use. Note the way conjunctions work in the following sentences: Demand for food is increasing because the population is growing. Mechanisation has increased crop yields, yet production is still inadequate. In the first sentence, because introduces a reason, in the second yet indicates opposition. When reading a text, conjunctions are like signposts to help the reader follow the ideas. The chapter provides some practices for conjunctions. In some ways, conjunctions of opposition are the most important type of conjunction, and can be the most difficult to use accurately. Note the position of the conjunctions in the following examples: The economy is strong, but/yet there are frequent strikes.
