​CONJUNCTIONS

“A word that is used to join words or phrases or sentences is called a conjunction.”

Ex.-God made the country and man made the town.
Three and three make six.
She must work hard, or she will fail.
[(As soon………..As), (Both……..and), (Either………..or), (Neither ……….. Nor), (Lest………..
should), (Not only………but also), (Hardly……….. before or when), (Though ……….yet),
(Whether …………..or), (Scarcely…………… when or before), (No sooner………..than)

Rule-1 when ‘as well as’, ‘along with’, ‘together with’ , ‘No less than’, ‘In addition to’ and ‘Not’ and
‘with’ join two subjects, the verb will be according to the first subject.
Ex.-Ram, as well as his ten friends, are going. (Incorrect)
Ram, as well as his ten friends, is going. (Correct)
The teacher, along with the students, were going (Incorrect)
The teacher along with the students, was going (Correct)

Rule-2‘A great many’ is always followed by a plural noun and a plural verb.
Ex.-A great many students have been declared successful.

Rule-3 If two subjects are joined by ‘Either-Or’, ‘Neither-Nor’, the verb agrees with the subject that is
near.
Ex.-Either Ramesh or I are to do this work. (Incorrect)
Either Ramesh or I am to do this work. (Correct)

Neither he nor his friends is reading. (Incorrect)

Neither he nor his friends are reading. (Correct)

Rule-4‘One of’ always takes a plural noun after it.

Ex.-It is one of the important day in my life. (Incorrect)
It is one of the important days in my life. (Correct)

Rule-5 Use of (Not only - but also)

Ram is not only handsome but also intelligent.
(Here one person - two qualities)

Not only India but also Pakistan is poor.

(Here two persons - common quality)
When two subjects are joined by (Not only-but also) the verb must agree with the ‘second subject:
Ex.-Not only the students but also the teacher are playing. (Incorrect)
Not only the students but also the teacher is playing. (Correct)

He ate not only bananas but also apples.

He not only comes for swimming but also for coaching the learners. (Incorrect)
He comes not only for swimming but also for coaching the learners. (Correct)
Rule-6 ‘Scarcely’ and ‘Hardly’ are followed by ‘WHEN’ and not by ‘THAN’.
Ex.-I had Scarcely entered the room WHEN the phone rang.
Hardly had he seen his father when he stopped smoking.

Scarcely had he entered the room when the light came.

Hardly had he reached the school when it began to rain.

Rule-7 ‘Though’ is followed by ‘yet’ and not by ‘but’.

Ex.-Though he is poor but he is honest (Incorrect)
Though he is poor, yet he is honest. (Correct)

Although he is rich yet he is miser.

Though he is lame yet he can walk fast.

Rule-8 ‘No sooner’ is followed by ‘than’.

Ex.-No sooner had I entered the class than the students stood up.
No Sooner did I step out than it started raining.

No Sooner did I see my father than I stop smoking

No Sooner had I reached the station than the train departed.

Rule-9 ‘Lest’ must be followed by ‘should’.

Ex.-Read regularly lest you will fail. (Incorrect)
Read regularly lest you should fail. (Correct)
Run with care lest you should fall.

Rule-10 ‘Such’ is followed by ‘As’.

Ex.-Such a boy as I know is at the party.
He is Such a writer as everybody should read his books.

Rule-11 ‘So’ is followed by ‘That’.

Ex.-He is so weak that he cannot walk.
He is so handsome that every girl will be ready to marry him.

Rule-12 ‘UNLESS’ expresses a condition, It is always used in the negative sense. Thus ‘NOT’ is never
used with ‘unless’.
Ex.-Unless you do not labor hard, you will not pass (Incorrect)
Unless you labor hard you will not pass (Correct)

Rule-13 ‘Until’ expresses time. It has a negative sense and thus ‘not’ should never be used with it.
Ex.-Wait here until I do not return (Incorrect)
Wait here until I Return.(Correct)

Rule-14 ‘Since’ indicates a point of time and ‘for’ stands for the length of time.
Ex.-He had been reading the book for two hours.
It has been raining since Monday last.

Ex.-15 ‘As if’ is used to convey the sense of pretension.

When 'as if' is used in this sense, ‘WERE’ is used in all cases, Even with third person singular.
Ex.-He behaves as if he was king. (Incorrect)
He behaves as if he were a king (Correct)

Rule-16 ‘BOTH’ is followed by ‘AND’ not (as well as, but)

Ex.-Ram is both tall and handsome.

Rule-17 Use of (Since, Because, For, As)

Ex.-It has been a year since I saw him
Since he is my father, I respect him.
I respect him because he is my father.
As he is my neighbour, I respect him
As he was not feeling well, he did not eat anything

Rule-18 ‘OR’ is used to introduce an alternative.

Ex.-Do or die.
Your purse ‘OR’ your life.

‘OR’ is used to mean ‘otherwise’

We must hasten or night will overtake us.

OR is used to show several Alternatives

He may study physics or chemistry or Biology or he may enter into trade.

Rule-19 ‘WHILE’ IS USED TO MEAN-

(i)During the time that, as long as
While there is hope there is life.
While he was sleeping, an enemy entered in the house.

(ii)At the same time that

The girl sang while the boys danced

Rule-20 ‘ONLY’ as a conjunction means-Except that

Ex.-A very pretty woman, only she squints a little .

​ERROR-DETECTION (CONJUNCTION)

1. Hardly had the children (a) / left the school (b) / than it began to rain. (c) / No error (d)
2. Unless you do not listen to his advice (a) / I am not going (b) / to help you. (c) / No error (d)
3. Sooner than he had arrived (a) / his friends arranged a reception (b) / in his honor in (c) / the best hotel
in town. (d) / No error (e)
4. The managing director well as the Board members (a) / was in favour of taking strict action (b) /
against the striking workers. (c) / No error (d)
5. No stronger (a) / a figure than his (b) / is prescribed in the history. (c) / No error (d)
6. No sooner did I open the window (a) / when the rain, heavy and stormy, rushed in (b) / making us
shiver from head to foot. (c) / No error (d)
7. Hardly had I reached the airport (a) / where I learn (b) / about the powerful bomb explosion. (c) / No
error (d) (d)
8. As much as I admire him for his sterling qualities, (a) / I cannot excuse him (b) / for being unfair to his
friends. (c) / No error (d)
9. It is not (a) / such a good novel (b) / that I expected. (c) / No error (d)
10. You must either tell me (a) / the whole story or, at least, (b) / the first half of it. (c) / No error (d)
11. The general manager of the bank was busy; (a) / so he asked them to come and (b) / see him between
two to three in the afternoon. (c) / No error (d)
12. Unless Akash does not (a) / return all the library books, (b) / he will not be (c) / awarded the pass
certificate. (d) / No error (e)
13. He is as clever if (a) / not cleverer (b) / than his brother. (c) / No error (d)
14. No sooner did the sun rise (a) / when we took a hasty breakfast (b) / and resumed the journey. (c) / No
error (d)
15. Because he is physically strong, (a) / therefore he was selected (b) / for the Army. (c) / No error (d)
16. Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society ; (a) / the optimist invents the aeroplane, (b) / the
pessimist parachute. (c) / No error (d)
17. The reason for (a) / his failure is because (b) / he did not work hard. (c) / No error (d)
18. My maths text book has been (a) / missing from my room (b) / till yesterday. (c) / No error (d)
19. Chetan asked him (a) / that which was the way (b) / to the post office. (c) / No error (d)
20. How do you say (a) / that neither he or (b) / Ravi has qualified (c) / in the examination ? (d) / No error
(e)
21. Being a strict vegetarian (a) / he depended on milk and fruit (b) / and had to cook for himself. (c) / No
error (d)
22. Even though the shirt is rather expensive (a) / but I wish to (b) / purchase it with my own money. (c) /
No error (d)
23. Mahesh could not (a) / go to the picnic (b) / for his mother (c) / was not well. (d) / No error (e)
24. Revant is as (a) / fast as or (b) / perhaps faster (c) / than Rajnish. (d) / No error (e)
25. Though she was sick (a) / but (b) / she went to work. (c) / No error (d)
Show/hide
26. No sooner did (a) / the manager begin speaking, some (b) / employees started (c) / shouting slogans.
(d) / No error (e)
27. The Management Committee has requested me (a) / not to take any action (b) / unless and until (c) / I
don’t see all the documents. (d) / No error (e)
28. As he is rich, (a) / so he spends (b) / lavishly. (c) / No error (d)
29. I am but (a) / a humble seeker after truth (b) / and bent upon finding it. (c) / No error (d)
30. Hardly he had arrived (a) / when the house caught fire (b) / and everything was reduced to ashes. (c) /
No error (d)
31. The old man has had the best medical facilities available (a) / but he will not be cured (b) / unless he
does not have a strong desire to live. (c) / No error (d)
32. Neither the drought (a) / or the subsequent fire (b) / was able to destroy the spirit of the people. (c) /
No error (d)
33. Hardly had I (a) / reached the station where (b) / I learnt about (c) / the powerful bomb explosion (d) /
No error (e)
34. Neither did he (a) / accept the punishment (b) / or apologised (c) / for his mistake. (d) / No error (e)
35. No sooner did the jeep arrive (a) / at the station (b) / than a young police officer (c) / jumped out of it.
(d) / No error (e)