ABSTRACT
Common Core Language Standard 5.1 calls for students to “Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their function in particular sentences” (Common Core Standards, 2010), as part of a more general statement about mastering conventions of standard English grammar. This chapter focuses on information about conjunctions and interjections (prepositions and prepositional phrases are discussed in chapter 9). Conjunctions and interjections have some key similarities, as both consist of very few words and can have a significant impact on a piece of writing. However, the particular impact each has is different: conjunctions link statements together and can combine shorter sentences to form longer ones; interjections express emotion to enhance a piece’s effect on readers. Let’s look at each concept separately and in more detail.
