Conjunctions are words used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause, such as "and," "but," and "if."
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Are there rules about using “that” to join two clauses?
He will understand that I was not joking.
He will understand I was not joking.
Which of the sentences is correct? Are there any specific rules about the use of "that" in the sentences I ...
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8answers
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14
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5answers
3k views
Is it really incorrect to start a sentence with “and”?
I know it's wrong, but I do it all the time or else my sentences would go on forever.
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3answers
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Alternatives to “and/or”?
As a programmer, I have no problem with seeing or using "and/or" in technical documentation. For example,
I can upvote an answer that satisfies me and/or mark it as accepted.
That's perfectly ...
3
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3answers
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Are “should” and “if” interchangeable at the beginning of a sentence? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
A special use of “should”?
If "should" comes at the beginning of a sentence, and the sentence is not a question, then can it be replaced with "if?" Is there any ...
10
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1answer
749 views
The construction of “Known but to God”
The Tomb of the Unknown Solider has the engraving "KNOWN BUT TO GOD", as presumably no man knows his name, but shouldn't it read "unknown, but to God", as the default for everyone is "unknown", with ...
13
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3answers
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“to be all but X”
What does "all but" mean in this expression?
Today, under pressure from P2P distribution, optical disc piracy in wealthy countries is "all but eliminated" and profit margins elsewhere are slim.
...
8
votes
2answers
4k views
“All but” idiom has two meanings?
Here's two ways I've seen the "all, but" idiom used:
"Close all tabs but this one" (Any modern application with a number of tabs might have this as an option.) It means "close all the tabs, but not ...
3
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3answers
736 views
Specific usage of the word 'but'
The Aesop's Fables translated by George Fyler Townsend book has a line which reads as follows:
... If you had but touched me, my friend, you ...
I've seen the word 'but' used this way a couple ...
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3answers
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Can I use an “if” clause without “then”?
I have the following sentence:
If T had still been alive, there is the great possibility that either T or C ...
My teacher says that the word "then" must appear after the comma, but I think that ...
11
votes
5answers
4k views
Does “either A or B ” preclude “both A and B”?
In mathematics, "A or B" includes "A and B".
Does "either" mean "A or B but not (A and B)" or does it include the possibility of "A and B"?
The context might be mathematics, formal logic or ordinary ...
21
votes
3answers
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When to use & instead of “and”
Are there rules of usage when using the ampersand "&" instead of "and"?
Are they completely interchangeable?
The ampersand seems more casual, but I'm not sure.
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10answers
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Can a sentence start with “Because”?
In my grade school days, I recall a teacher proclaiming to the class:
You should never start a sentence with the word "Because".
Of course, I've since seen lots of examples to the contrary, and ...
13
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6answers
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Sentence Construction: “Just Because … Does Not Mean”
I've already found an entry on this here.
However, it does not solve my problem:
I just read an entry on "cross platform" from Wikipedia, in which it was written:
Just because a particular ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
“Me and my wife” or “my wife and me”
Which is correct: me and my wife or my wife and me? The sentence in which this is used is
Ms. Smith informed me and my wife that she was afraid of being accosted.
4
votes
3answers
810 views
Is it: My apples and orange are/is wrong?
Simple question:
My apples and orange are wrong
or
My apples and orange is wrong
I am not a native English speaker, and I am having some trouble choosing between plural are or singular is ...
2
votes
2answers
196 views
How does negation affect the use and understanding of “or” and “and”
I'm trying to make more sense of how negation effects how a sentence is parsed and understood if and's and or's are used within them.
Pop quiz: You are trapped on a bus with a bomb going 50 MPH. You ...
20
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6answers
605 views
Is there any valid rule discouraging the use of a certain word to start a sentence?
Is there any rule you think is valid that discourages the use of a certain word to start a sentence?
Because I suspect the answer is no.
But it would be good to have a blanket answer to this kind of ...
16
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4answers
871 views
Usage of “And” in the beginning of a sentence
Since I first learned English, I have been holding this understanding that "and", as a conj. but unlike "but", can only connect two clauses, not two sentences ended with periods.
But recently, I ...
13
votes
3answers
690 views
“Whether or not” vs. “whether”
This will depend on whether he's suitable for the job.
This will depend on whether he's suitable for the job or not.
This will depend on whether or not he's suitable for the job.
...
0
votes
1answer
755 views
Using “are/is” after a list with “and/or” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Singular or plural following a list
James and Mark are going to help you.
Here, I use 'are' because the subject is plural.
James or Mark are going to help you.
...
3
votes
3answers
177 views
What sentence parts needs to be repeated here?
What of the following is right?
"We need to find out..."
"...how to lower the costs or how to produce more."
"...how to lower the costs or to produce more."
"...how to lower the costs or produce ...
20
votes
5answers
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When did “while” and “whilst” become interchangeable?
I think most folk happily use either "while" or "whilst". I've a vague recollection that at one time "while" indicated the passing of time and "whilst" was essentially the same as "whereas" or ...
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2answers
410 views
Omission of “and” in headlines
What is this phenomenon called?
Is it common in all English-speaking countries?
10
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4answers
660 views
Should I use 'or' or 'nor'?
This document does not cover the SDK interfaces nor any other reference material.
I think the above is correct, but my grammatical checker in Microsoft Word underlines nor and suggests or. Why?
8
votes
3answers
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Sentences beginning with “so”?
This also came up on either a BBC or CBC science program, but not as a linguistically-oriented discussion.
Over the last two or three years I've noticed a lot more people starting a sentence with ...
6
votes
3answers
7k views
Using “nor” in a list without “neither”
This is the classic usage of neither/nor:
I would neither hide nor run away.
But is the following construction grammatical? (More than two choices, no neither)
I wasn't going to play dead.
...
6
votes
4answers
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Is using “and/or” recommended for formal writing, or is it frowned upon?
Is using "and/or" allowed in formal writing? If not, is there general way to represent the OR binary operator with as little space as possible in written English?
6
votes
3answers
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“So long as” vs. “as long as”
Which phrase is more formal — "so long as" or "as long as"?
Example:
So long as Google Voice allows free long distance in North America, I will use it.
As long as Google Voice allows free ...
2
votes
2answers
409 views
Why don’t other pronouns get to albe-themselves, à la albeit’s “it”?
YES:
"Euthanizing this particular kitten was a traumatic, albeit humane necessity."
NO:
"The geese, having pooped everywhere, made for hideous pets, albethem delicious as an entree."
NO:
"Most of the ...
2
votes
4answers
505 views
Can I use “but” at the beginning of a sentence?
For a while, using but to start a sentence was largely frowned upon. But, I think it is possible to use but at the beginning of a sentence, as long as it isn't overused.
Am I right?
2
votes
3answers
166 views
Precedence of “and” and “or”
Do and and or have any particular precedence as they do in programming languages?
What does the following sentence mean?
Will it be cold and rain or snow today?
Will it (be cold and ...
2
votes
2answers
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What does “if and when” mean, and is it the same as “when and if”?
Rather than trying to describe my beef with this idiom, I will give a bunch of successively objectionable examples. None of these are taken from real life.
As I see it, if (and when) both "if" and ...
2
votes
1answer
517 views
Interpreting the meaning of 'but' as an implication for exclusion/inclusion
I often find it difficult to interpret the meaning of but in some of the sentences where it is used to imply exclusion/inclusion. For example: Drink everything you want but alcohol.
Also, sometimes ...
5
votes
2answers
262 views
Because vs. due to with adjectives?
I know that because of modifies verbs, whereas due to modifies nouns. However, what do I do if I see something like:
We find that X is better than Y is most cases, due to lack of support for Y.
...
11
votes
5answers
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When do we need to put a comma after “so”?
I noticed that most of the times when the conjunction "so" is used at the beginning of a sentence, it is followed by a comma:
So, this gets published but the fact that it is inaccurate gets ...
12
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6answers
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Using a comma before “but”
I was once told by an English professor that a comma should never be used before but in a sentence. For years, I have followed her advice but sometimes I just feel like it just needs to be there. On ...
12
votes
7answers
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Can “hence” be used at the beginning of a sentence?
Can the word ‘hence’ be used at the beginning of a sentence? For example:
Hence, I am not feeling well, I am unable to work.
8
votes
7answers
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When did the word “so” begin to be used to start a sentence?
In the last few years, I've noticed a growing usage of the word "so" to begin a sentence, especially in the context of higher education.
For example:
Interviewer: "What is the nature of your ...
10
votes
2answers
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How do you make the possessive form with “He and I”-style subjects?
Despite being a native speaker of American English, I cannot find a construction that sounds natural when trying to form a possessive from coordinated subjects including a first person pronoun, like ...
8
votes
3answers
438 views
What rules determine the apostrophe placement in “ham 'n eggs” and similar expressions?
In expressions such as "ham 'n eggs", the conjunction 'n appears to replace and, yet there is only one apostrophe to indicate the missing a and none for the missing d (i.e., no "ham 'n' eggs").
Is ...
5
votes
0answers
503 views
When do I use “me” and when “I”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Should I put myself last?
I get this mixed up so often. Should I say:
Me and Rob are going swimming.
or
I and Rob are going swimming.
I know the latter ...
1
vote
3answers
266 views
Repeat the preposition in an “or” phrase, or not?
Which is correct (or better) English:
"Choose lace in neutral pastel tones or also in grey or black"
"Choose lace in neutral pastel tones, in grey or in black"
"Choose lace in neutral ...
21
votes
7answers
3k views
Is it acceptable to start a sentence with “however”?
I have heard that starting a sentence with however is wrong. What are the grounds for this view and is it still held by a majority of pedants?
They would suggest changing
However, some people are ...
9
votes
4answers
4k views
What is the proper usage of “not only… but also”?
I'm trying to figure out how to use "not only... but also" properly. Basically, my goal is to combine two clauses by using "not only".
For negations, I've figured out two styles that both sound ...
4
votes
2answers
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Is it mandatory to use a comma before a coordinating conjunction uniting the two independent clauses in a compound sentence?
My friend and I had an argument about whether this sentence required a comma:
I understand where you're coming from but I disagree.
My friend insisted that there should be a comma before "but":
...
4
votes
6answers
496 views
“The larger of A and B” or “the larger of A or B”
I was wondering which one is more correct between "the larger of A and B" and "the larger of A or B".
I use the former, but I saw in IRS instruction for Form 1040:
In most cases, your federal ...
3
votes
2answers
275 views
“Julio and I” vs “I and Julio” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“My friends and I” vs. “My friends and me” vs. “Me and my friends”
Is naming the first person last proper grammar or just proper manners?
"Julio and I went to the ...
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vote
1answer
1k views
Is “not only… but as well…” grammatical?
I was given a text to read by my teacher which contains the following sentence:
Speaking a foreign language one can not only read the papers, magazines and original books by outstanding writers, ...
1
vote
2answers
173 views
How should I understand this “that” clause?
The following sentence is from an article of Harry Frankfurt who is a professor from Princeton University:
It must be part of the point of saying that humbug is "short of lying," that while it has ...
