Use Coordinate Connector Correctly (Skill 6)

Previous Skill: Be Careful of Past Participle (Skill 5)

When you have two clauses in an English sentences, you must connect the two sentences correctly. One way to connect two clauses is to use AND, BUT, OR, SO, or YET between the clauses.

Look at the following sentences:

• Tom is singing, and Paul is dancing.
• Tom is tall, but Paul is short.
• Tom must write the letters, or Paul will do it.
• Tom told a joke, so Paul laughed
• Tom is tired, yet he is not going to sleep.

In each of these sentences, there are two clauses that are correctly joined with a coordinate conjunction AND, BUT, OR, SO or YET, and a comma (,).

The following example shows how this sentence pattern could be tested in the Structure section of the TOEFL test.

Example:

A power failure occurred, ____________ the lamps went out.

(A) then

(B) so

(C) later

(D) next

Analysis:

• We should notice that there are two clauses: A power failure occurred and the lamps went outs.
• This sentence needs a  connector to join the two clauses. 
• Then, later, next are not connector. So, the best answer is (B) because so can connect two clauses.

EXERCISE 6:  

Read the following sentences and indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

1. The software should be used on a laptop computer, and this computer is a laptop. (C)

     Analysis:

• Both clauses are correct. The connector, (and) is correct, too. So the sentence is Correct.

2. The rain clouds can be seen in the distance, but no has fallen. (I)

    Analysis:

• The first clause " The rain clouds can be seen in the distance" is correct. But, the second one, no has fallen, is incorrect because there is no SUBJECT.
• The correct sentence could be The rain clouds can be seen in the distance, but no rain has fallen.

3. They are trying to sell their house, it has been on the market for two months.(I)

     Analysis:

• Both clauses are correct, but there is no Connector.
• The correct sentences should be They are trying to sell their house, and it has been on the market for two months

4. So the quality of the print was not good, I changed the typewriter ribbon. (I)

    Analysis:

• Both sentences are correct, but the connector, so, is incorrect,
• The correct sentence should be Because the quality of the print was not good, I changed the typewriter ribbon.

5. The lifeguard will warn you about the riptides, or she may require you to get out of the water. (C)

    Analysis:

• Both clauses are correct and the connector, or, is correct too.

6. You should have finished the work yesterday, yet is not close to being finished today. (I)

    Analysis:

• The first clause, You should have finished the work yesterday, is correct. But the second one, is not close to being finished today, is incorrect.
• The correct sentence could be You should have finished the work yesterday, yet it is not close to being finished today.

7. The phone rang again and again, so the receptionist was not able to get much work done. (C)

    Analysis:

• The first clause, The receptionist rang again and again, is correct. And the second clause, the receptionist was not able to get much work done, is correct too.

8. The missing wallet was found, but the cash and credit cards had been removed. (C)

    Analysis:

• Both sentences are correct and Connector, but, is correct too.

9. Or you can drive your car for another 2,000 miles, you can get it fixed. (I)

    Analysis:

• Both clauses are correct. But, the connector is misplaced.
• Correct sentence should be You can drive............., or you can get............

10. The chemist was awarded the Nobel Prize, he flew to Europe to accept it. (I)

      Analysis:

• Both sentences are correct, but there is no connector.
• Correct sentence should be The chemist........., so he flew.............