Purpose

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify prepositions and distinguish coordinating from subordinating conjunctions.

Lesson Explanation

Prepositions show the relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word in the sentence — commonly relationships of place, time, or direction: “in, on, at, under, between, during, after, before, with, without.” A preposition always begins a “prepositional phrase,” which ends in a noun or pronoun (its object): “The book is on the table” (“on” is the preposition, “the table” is its object). Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses, and fall into two functionally distinct categories that matter greatly for punctuation later in this course (Part 5, Lesson 1). Coordinating conjunctions connect grammatically equal elements — the seven are memorably grouped under the acronym FANBOYS: “for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.” They can join two independent clauses into a compound sentence, typically preceded by a comma: “I wanted to go, but it was raining.” This exact structure is covered fully in Part 2, Lesson 2. Subordinating conjunctions introduce a dependent clause and show a relationship like cause, time, contrast, or condition to the main clause: “because, although, since, if, when, while, unless.” Unlike coordinating conjunctions, a subordinating conjunction makes its clause unable to stand alone: “Although it was raining” is not a complete sentence by itself. This distinction is essential to Part 2, Lesson 3’s treatment of complex sentences.

Practice Questions

1. What do prepositions show?

View Answer The relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word — often place, time, or direction.

2. In “The book is on the table,” what is the preposition?

View Answer “On.”

3. What is the object of a prepositional phrase?

View Answer The noun or pronoun that ends the phrase.

4. What do conjunctions connect?

View Answer Words, phrases, or clauses.

5. What does the acronym FANBOYS stand for?

View Answer For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so — the coordinating conjunctions.

6. What kind of elements do coordinating conjunctions connect?

View Answer Grammatically equal elements.

7. What later lesson covers joining two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction?

View Answer Part 2, Lesson 2.

8. What does a subordinating conjunction introduce?

View Answer A dependent clause.

9. Name one subordinating conjunction.

View Answer Because, although, since, if, when, while, or unless.

10. Can a clause beginning with a subordinating conjunction stand alone as a complete sentence?

View Answer No.

11. What later lesson covers complex sentences built from subordinating conjunctions?

View Answer Part 2, Lesson 3.

12. Write a prepositional phrase using “under.”

View Answer Under the table (or any noun phrase following “under”).
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