Coordinating Conjunction (FANBOYS): Useful Rules & Examples

Coordinating Conjunction! Learn coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) definition with useful examples and how to use them in sentences with ESL printable infographic.

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating Conjunction Definition

These conjunctions are used to link or join two words or phrases that are equally important and complete in terms of grammar when compared with each other. That is to say, the sentences or words do not depend on anything to give themselves meaning.

FANBOYS Acronym | Coordinating Conjunctions Examples

There are seven main coordinating conjunctions:

• For – Because  => I told her to leave,  for I was very tired.
• And – In addition to  => I like football, and I like hockey.
• Nor – And not  => I have neither done the dishes nor the laundry.
• But – However  => She’s 85 but she still goes swimming every day.
• Or – Either  => I will eat either a hamburger or a hotdog.
• Yet – But  => The weather was cold, yet bright and sunny.
• So – Therefore => It was still painful so I went to see a doctor.

As you can see, these conjunctions are arranged in this way to provide the mnemonic acronym of FANBOYS so that it is easier to remember them. These conjunctions are always placed between the two clauses or words that they are joining. The following are some examples of the coordinating conjunctions.

Chris does not want tea. Chris does not want coffee. – Chris does not want tea or coffee.

• Here, we see how ‘or’ was used to combine the two words and make a cohesive sentence using them. Also, notice how the ‘or’ is between the two words.

I scored 60% in the exams this year. Anita scored 7% more than me this year. – I scored 60% in the exams but Anita scored 7% more than me this year.

• Here we see that ‘but’ was used in the middle to combine and show the relation between the two sentences that were both equally important and cohesive by themselves.

FANBOYS Infographic