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Early schooling forms a foundation, and the knowledge of grammar makes it stronger. One of the crucial sections in school-level grammar is conjunctions. We will discuss all you need to know about conjunctions in the following paragraphs.
What Are Conjunctions For Kids?
Conjunctions are a group of words to connect phrases, words, clauses, and sentences. In some grammar books, these are also known as joining words.
The conjunction is one of the eight parts of speech in English grammar. Kids need to learn conjunctions for proper sentence structure and better communication skills. These are essential for young minds to get a good start at English language learning, writing, and speaking.
Examples of First Grade Conjunctions
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I wanted to visit Temple but was too sick to go out of the home.
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Trisha loves watermelon and black grapes.
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Should I tell him or you will manage?
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I respect Shweta because she deserves that.
In these sentences, “but”, “and”, “or”, and “because” are conjunctions. These connect two parts of sentences. In addition, these complete the meaning and make the action clear for the reader.
Types Of First Grade Conjunctions
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Correlative Conjunctions
Apart from single-use, there are instances of using conjunctions in pairs. These are known as Correlative Conjunctions.
Commonly used Correlative Conjunctions for Class 1
As-as, Either-or, Neither-nor, Hardly-when, Not only-but also, Both-and, No sooner-than, Whether-or, Rather-than, Such-that, So-as.
Examples
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Either-or: I can either accept it or leave it.
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Neither-nor: I expected neither him nor you.
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Both-and: I can feel pain in both my legs and hands.
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Not only-but also: Manish is not only stupid to miss the gala but also reluctant to participate in any manner.
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Whether-or: Biswajit still could not figure out whether he will go to Delhi or Kolkata.
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Co-ordination Conjunctions for Kids
These types of conjunction words connect the similar elements of a sentence. These are popularly known as FANBOYS after seven coordination conjunctions that we use in English grammar.
There should be equal significance and position of connecting parts in the sentence, such as Clause with Clause, Adjective with Adjective, Noun with Noun, Phrase with Phrase, etc.
FANBOYS stands for the initials of For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.
Examples for First Grade Conjunctions
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For: Rohit needs a job, for he can not rely on his brother forever.
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And: Sonia drives both a car and a bike.
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Nor: Neither he nor his father came today.
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But: I can convince her now, but it would be temporary.
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Or: What is your favorite tourist spot, Gangtok or Siliguri?
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Yet: You are a good student yet never participate in quiz competitions at school.
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So: I had pending work at the office, so I could not make it to the movie today.
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Sub-ordinating Conjunctions for Kids
Subordinating conjunctions are used to connect the principle clause in a sentence with a subordinate clause. As the name suggests, two sentences depend upon each other to make the sentence complete and meaningful in this type of conjunction.
3.1 Commonly used Subordinating Conjunctions for Class 1
After, Although, As if, As long as, As, As much as, As soon as, As though, Because, Before, Even if, Even, Even though, If, If only, In order that, Just as, Lest, Now, If then, Now since, Now that, Once, Provided, Provided that, Rather than, Since, So that, Supposing, Than, That, Though, Till, Unless, Why, Whoever, Where, Wherever, etc.
Examples for First Grade Conjunctions
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That: Why did you leave when you knew that I was coming?
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Since: It has been over a decade since I visited my hometown, Asansol.
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Till: They will wait at the guest house till 1 pm.
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Though: Though they were present, no one supported me.
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Why: Why are you so naïve?
Rules To Use Conjunctions For Kids
As mentioned in the beginning, grammar is the foundation, and conjunctions form a vital part of it. So, it is crucial to include rules for using conjunctions in teaching resources. Ignoring or avoiding these rules derails the passage's meaning and affects exam performance.
Here is the list of rules and their application in sentences for First Grade conjunctions:
Rule 1
The Correlative conjunctions ‘as/as’ and ‘so/as’ are used for comparisons in sentences. But ‘as/as’ can be used for affirmative and negative sentences, whereas ‘so/as’ is applied for negative sentences only.
Examples
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Shweta is not as clever as you are. (Negative)
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Shweta is as clever as you are. (Affirmative)
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As you have removed her so you have to bear the consequences.
Rule 2
As a common grammar practice, “both” is always followed by “and”.
Examples
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‘Both’ you ‘and’ I know she is innocent.
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Trishaan is ‘both’ creative ‘and’ focused.
Rule 3
‘Though’ and ‘Although’ are always followed by ‘yet’ or ‘commas’.
Examples
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‘Although’ Gold prices are higher ‘yet’ people buy them as a status symbol.
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‘Though’ Maanvi studied with full dedication, she could not clear the entrance test.
Rule 4
The conjunction “lest” is used as negative and always followed by “should” or the first form of the verb. In addition, words such as not, never, and no can not be applied with “lest”.
Examples
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Trek carefully lest he should fall. (should)
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Trek carefully lest he falls. (first form of the verb)
Rule 5
Remember not to use “never, not, and no” with “Unless” and “Until” in the clause or sentence. The conjunctions “Unless” and “Until” are negative words. Among them, the first is action-oriented, whereas the latter is time-oriented.
Examples
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Shweta asked her son to wait ‘until’ she came from work.
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‘Unless’ we both talk, we cannot make progress.
Rule 6
The word “doubt or doubtful” is followed by “whether” or “If” in an affirmative sentence, whereas “that” is in interrogative or negative sentences.
Examples
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I do not doubt ‘that’ you are a good student.
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Abhimanyu doubts ‘if’ you will support him.
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Shyama is doubtful ‘about whether we will attend her birthday.
Rule 7
Learners must use conjunctions in their right pair. Any mismatch can change the meaning and structure of the sentence.
Rule 8
The conjunction “Between” is followed by “and” whereas “from” is followed by “to”.
Examples
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I can not choose ‘between’ diamonds ‘and’ platinum.
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He regularly plays the piano ‘from’ Monday ‘to’ Saturday.
Rule 9
"None of" or "one of" is used in place of "neither" or "either" where there are more than two persons or objects mentioned.
Examples
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‘None of the workers came yesterday for the meeting.
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‘One of the parents complained about the school administration.
Rule 10
The joining word ‘Rather’ or ‘Other’ is followed by ‘Than’.
Examples
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Students have no ‘other’ option ‘than’ to sit for the online exam this year.
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I would ‘rather’ come on a bicycle ‘than’ in a car.
Conclusion
A study says children develop early signs of conjunctions in their sentences at the age of three. The higher the age, the greater the number of conjunctions they use. By the age of class 1, they can use advanced conjunctions to learn the English language better.
Teaching resources such as worksheets, coloring books, flashcards, etc., should evoke interest in learning. If children develop an interest in the classroom, it will improve understanding and productivity. And this will make their English grammar and eventually English language strong.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How to introduce conjunctions for class 1 students at home?
Answer: Introduce conjunction through three steps-
Step 1
Choose conjunctions such as ‘and’. Take two pictures of a cat and a dog. Write “and” on a piece of paper and place it between them. Now read the phrase and observe how your kid is responding.
Step 2
Use conjunctions in regular conversation and keep repeating.
Step 3
Observe for a few days and correct your kid gently until they use conjunctions comfortably in conversation.
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What are the teaching resources for first-grade conjunctions?
Answer: Resources for teaching conjunctions for class 1 students include worksheets, classroom activities, PowerPoint, etc. You can be as creative as possible to make kids understand in a better way.
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How to teach conjunctions for class 1 students?
Answer: The first rule is to make it as interactive and fun as possible. You can start by creating an activity wall, sharing worksheets, and making learning interesting for toddlers. Learning should be a part of the activity and conversation.
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Why do kids need to learn first-grade conjunctions?
Answer: Conjunctions connect words, clauses, phrases, and parts of a sentence. It is vital for students in class 1 as they learn sentence making, the right structure, essential rules of English grammar, etc. It improves their knowledge of the English language and communication skills.
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What is the need to learn conjunctions for advanced studies and entrance exams?
Answer: English as a language and subject is part of most exams in India. Students require a better understanding of grammar to excel in exams. So, learning conjunctions can better prepare students for advanced studies and careers.
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