by R. S. Karunaratne

Parts of speech:

More on conjunctions

A conjunction is a word that merely joins together sentences, and sometimes words. Here are some more conjunctions used in sentences.

1. For

For is a preposition. When it is used as a conjunction it means 'because'.

Kamala found it difficult to live in Paris.

For she did not know French.

The beggar gulped down the food for he had been starving for a few days.

2. Lest

Lest means 'for fear that; in order that..... not'.

The robber disguised himself lest he be recognised.

3. Besides

This goes before a noun, pronoun or gerund. (When 'ing' is added, a verb that becomes a noun). It means 'in addition to'.

Besides being the principal he teaches English to A/L classes.

4. However

However usually means 'but'

George, however, may not want the money back.

Mary is fond of dogs. Her dislike of cats, however, is well-known.

5. Although

Although he knew the answer, he would not tell us.

Although vehicles are expensive, people buy them.

6. Nevertheless (= despite this fact)

The opposing armies defeat was widely predicted, but they were confident of victory nevertheless.

7. As (= since)

As there is no train, we might have to go by bus.

As (= when)

As I was driving along a narrow street, I heard somebody calling for help.

8. Thus (= as a result of this)

Gemunu is the eldest prince and thus heir to the kingdom.

9. Therefore (= for that reason)

The principal is out of the country and therefore unable to attend the meeting.

10. Despite (= without being affected by the factors mentioned)

We had a wonderful holiday, despite the bad weather.

Despite father's warning, the child ran across the busy street.

11. In spite of (= written as three words)

In spite of the storm, all the boats returned safely.

Nirmala got the job in spite of having no basic qualifications.

12. Thereby (= by that means)

When charged with theft, the accused nodded his head, thereby admitting his guilt.

13. Whereas (= in contrast or comparison with the fact that)

I thought he was rich, whereas he was just an ordinary office worker.

Some conjunctions are used in pairs.

14. Either..... or

You can either take it or leave it.

15. Neither.... nor

He can neither read nor write.

16. Not only..... but also

Not only men but also women play cricket.

17. So.... that

He was so strong that he could lift the bicycle with one hand.

18. Both.... and

He is both the chairman and the chief executive officer.

Next: Interjections

Proverbs offer advice or present a moral in a short or pithy manner. Speakers and writers use them to make their expressions vivid. Here is a list of carefully selected proverbs for your knowledge bank.

1. Where bees are, there is honey.

Bees represent industrious people. They work diligently and create wealth.

2. Set a beggar on horseback and he'll ride to the devil.

If you are unaccustomed to power and luxury, you tend to abuse them.

3. Believe nothing of what you hear, and only half of what you see.

Do not accept everything you hear or see to be true.

4. A bellowing cow soon forgets her calf.

Some people, especially women, show excessive grief at funerals and other similar occasions. But such excessive grief does not last long.

5. The best things in life are free.

Look at the sun, the moon, the stars. They do not belong to anyone. However, all of us enjoy the benefits without any payment.

Even water and air are free although we pollute them.

6. Better late than never.

It is always better to start doing something late than not doing it at all.
 

What are nouns?

Nouns are words that name persons, places or things.

Chandu ran fast to school.

Mother will read the book.

In these sentences, the words "Chandu, school, mother" and "book" are nouns.

Complete the following sentences by using the nouns given here: bottle zoo, conductor, milk, grass

1. The ............... issued tickets.

2. Mother bought a ............ of milk.

3. Cats drink ............. .

4. We visited the ............... during the holidays.

5. Cows eat ............ .

Answers: 1. conductor, 2. bottle, 3. milk,

4. zoo, 5. grass.

Underline the nouns in the following sentences:

1. Sama made a kite.

2. Children swim in the river.

3. Maya calls her pet-dog.

4. The snake is hiding in the grass.

5. The sun lights up the world.

Answers: 1. Sama, kite 2. children, river 3. Maya, pet-dog 4. snake, grass 5. sun, world

Note: Without using nouns we cannot make meaningful sentences.

* When you start a sentence with a noun use a capital letter. That is a standard rule in English.

* These are nouns naming persons: Silva, Rajapaksa, Susila, Nethmi, Jackson.

Use a capital letter for all nouns naming persons, whether they appear at the beginning, the middle or the end of a sentence. That is another rule in English.

* These are nouns naming places: Colombo, Kurunegala, Cairo, India, Tokyo.

They usually begin with a capital letter.

* These are nouns naming things: pencil, book, road, tooth, eye.

It is not necessary to use a capital letter unless you begin a sentence with one of them.