Correlative Conjunctions: How to Use Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are one of the three main types of conjunctions used in the English language to create smooth flow and reduce sentence fragments, along with coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. Correlative conjunctions work in pairs to correlate two parts of a sentence of equal importance. Correlative conjunctions often connect two singular subjects with a singular verb, or two plural subjects with a plural verb. They apply a relation between two subjects or two verbs that act in tandem with each other.

Correlative conjunction pairs work together to indicate a correlation between two subjects, express details, or provide clarity. They involve a first conjunction that connects to another part of the sentence with a second conjunction. Some common correlative conjunctions include the following pairs of words.

1. 1. Both/and: Using “both” and “and” implies a correlation between two subjects that are performing the same action. An example of using these correlative conjunctions is: “We’ll both be leaving the party and taking one car.”
2. 2. Either/or: Using “either” and “or” connects two positive statements of equal weight. For example, you could say: “My brother is either working upstairs or slacking off downstairs.”
3. 3. Neither/nor: “Neither/nor” connects two negative statements of equal weight. For example, you could say: “I will neither watch the show nor read the book.”
4. 4. Whether/or: “Whether/or” connects two possible actions of a subject. For example, you could say: “I was not sure whether you would show up or not.”
5. 5. Not only/but also: “I’m not only hungry but also tired.”
6. 6. Rather/than: “Rather/than” presents a subject’s preference for one thing over another. For example, you could say: “I would rather have coffee than tea.”
7. 7. Such/that: “Such/that” connects two independent clauses in a way that applies a reason for an action. For example, you could say: “Such is the pain of my headache that I cannot get out of bed.”

There are a variety of helpful tips and rules for properly using these parts of speech in your sentences. Here are a few rules to follow when using correlative conjunctions.

1. 1. Mind your subject-verb agreement. Subjects and verbs need to match when using correlative conjunctions. Singular subjects must match singular verbs, and plural subjects must match plural verbs. If you have multiple subjects, match the verb to the subject that is closest to the verb. For instance, you would say: “Both the owner and his dogs run through the park,” instead of “Both the owner and his dogs runs through the park.”
2. 2. Ensure your pronoun agreement. Similar to subject-verb agreements, pronouns must also agree with their verbs when using correlative conjunctions. For example, “She plays tennis” is the correct agreement between pronoun and verb rather than “She play tennis.” This can be confusing when the pronoun’s antecedent is part of a correlative conjunction pair, however, if there is more than one subject, use the agreement for the closest noun or noun phrase. Let’s use the example sentence: “Not just my sister but my friends were all there as well.” In this case, “were” matches the plurality of “friends” rather than matching it to the singular “sister.”
3. 3. Make sure your sentence has a parallel structure. Parallelism is important in grammatical structure for tracking the subjects of your sentences. Parallel structure deals with the grammatical form of your sentences, such as when discussing multiple items or making a list. For example, let’s look at the two sentences: “My mom not only likes to hike, but also is a fan of camping” and “My mom not only likes hiking but also camping.” In the second phrase, “hiking” and “camping” are parallel, while “to hike” and “camping” are not parallel with each other in the first sentence.
4. 4. Use a comma with independent clauses. Only use a comma when your correlative conjunction separates two independent clauses, and avoid using it to separate the correlative conjunctions themselves. For example, let’s look at the two sentences: “Neither you, nor I should wear pastels,” and “Neither you nor I should wear pastels.” In this example, the latter is correct because both subjects depend on the same verb, which is “wear.”
5. 5. Watch out for double negatives. Neither/nor indicates a negative connotation, so be sure your main clause does not also contain a negative verb phrase on top of that. “I can’t neither see it nor hear it,” is not correct because “can’t” already provides a negative. The correct version would be: “I can neither see it nor hear it.”

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