Conjunctions
* Definition: Words that connect words, phrases, or clauses. They show the relationship between the elements they connect.
* Function: They join elements of equal grammatical rank.
* Types:
* Coordinating Conjunctions: Connect elements of equal grammatical rank (e.g., words, phrases, clauses). Examples: and, but, or, yet, so, nor, for.
* Subordinating Conjunctions: Connect a dependent (subordinate) clause to an independent (main) clause. Examples: because, although, since, while, if, unless, when, before, after.
* Examples:
* Coordinating: "I like apples and oranges."
* Subordinating: "I went to the store because I needed milk."
Prepositions
* Definition: Words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition) and another word in the sentence.
* Function: They typically indicate location, direction, time, or other relationships.
* Structure: Prepositions usually come before a noun or pronoun (the object).
* Examples:
* Location: "The book is on the table."
* Direction: "She walked toward the park."
* Time: "I'll be back in an hour."
Key Differences
| Feature | Conjunctions | Prepositions |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Connect elements of equal rank | Show relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word |
| Structure | Join words, phrases, or clauses | Typically precede a noun/pronoun (object) |
| Examples | and, but, because, although | on, in, to, from, before |
Remember: Conjunctions connect things, while prepositions show the relationship between words.
Example:
* "I went to the store because I needed milk."
* "because" is a subordinating conjunction connecting the dependent clause "because I needed milk" to the independent clause "I went to the store".
* "to" is a preposition showing the relationship between the verb "went" and the noun "store".