Connecting and showing relationships between ideas can be difficult in writing. As always, it just comes down to using the right words. Sometimes, the right words are apart of a few different types of the same idea. There are three main types of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative conjunctions.

What is the Purpose of a Conjunction?

Conjunctions really only have a few purposes. One of which is to join two ideas together (coordinating conjunctions), and provide additional details or insight (subordinating conjunctions). Correlative conjunctions have their own functions as well, which is to provide counters and correlation

Correlative Conjunctions

A correlative conjunction operates in much the same way as a coordinating or subordinate conjunction, except that they offer a counter or comparative analysis. Furthermore, these conjunctions occur as complementary pairs that operate in parallel structure.

Lastly, correlative conjunctions should be used together exclusively. That is to say, if you say “neither,” then you should say “nor.” As such, the relationship created by these conjunctions enable writers to have greater flow and control of their writing.

Further examples of this type of conjunction include:

• both…and
• neither…nor
• as much…as
• whether…or
• not only…but also
• as…as
• no sooner…than

Some examples in context:

1. “We have been both mad and sad at seeing the decline in modern cinema.”
2. They neither wanted help nor did they require comfort in these times.
3. Whether you eat the food or starve, we are still paying the bill.
4. Either we all do this together or we don’t do it at all.
5. It was not only a voracious animal, but also a excessively violent monster.

Additional examples can be found here.