| correlative conjunction |
| Definition: Pairs of words that work together to link equivalent sentence elements. Note: The pair usually consists of a coordinating conjunction plus either an adjective or an adverb. |
| Example: In English, the correlative conjunctions are (1) both … and (He was both happy and sad at the same time.) (2) either … or (He was always either happy or sad.) (3) neither … nor (He was neither happy nor sad.) (4) not (only) … but (also) (When he saw her, he was not only happy but also sad.) (5) so … as (His smell was so bad as to make us all run away.) (6) whether … or (He couldn't decide whether to be stupid or to be smart.) (7) such as (Such as we saw we ate.) (8) if … then (If you can't tell that you are man, then you must be a woman.) (9) as … so (As sad is to happy, so angry is to calm.) (10) such that (His happiness is such that no one can be sad around him.) (11) so … as (His behaviour was so weird as to make us all uncomfortable.) (12) whereas … therefore (Whereas we have failed, we shall therefore try, try again.) (13) so … that (He was so burned that he never went out with women again.) (14) though/although … yet (Although you love me, yet I will not buy you a coffee.) |
| Usage:
1. Don't use neither … or. Use neither … nor or either … or. He was neither happy or sad. (bad) He was neither happy nor sad. (good) 2. If each of the correlative conjunction's parts refers to a clause, separate them with commas. If he goes to the store, then he will buy some milk. Here's the key relationship: If A then B. (no clause, so no comma) 3. To make the construction less archaic, don't hesitate to remove the yet from though/although … yet.. Although you love me, I will not buy you a coffee. |