FANBOYS: FOR,AND,NOR,BUT, OR,YET,SO

There are only seven coordinating conjunctions in the English language, and they are easily remembered by the acronym FANBOYS: Coordinating conjunctions signify the relationship between two independent clauses (IC), allowing the writer to specify meaning. In other words, when we construct a compound sentence using a coordinating conjunction, we ask our readers to understand that the two ideas logically relate to each other in the way in which we specify:

Logic  Coordinating Conjunctions  Addition  and  Opposition, Contrast, Concession  but, yet  Cause  for  Result or Effect  so  Choice, Option, Alternative  or, nor

In addition to signifying a specific relationship between ideas, the compound structure also tells the reader that the ideas in these clauses are valued equally: one idea is no more important than the other. I may choose to indicate contrast between ideas by using the coordinating conjunction "but," wanting my reader to see the difference(s) between my ideas, yet I am also indicating to my reader that each independent clause should be equally valued. A compound sentence contains two separate subject and verb pairs.  You can combine two simple sentences together with a comma and a coordinating conjunction to make one compound sentence.  Here are some examples:                 F – for             I drank some water, for I was thirsty.                         She put on a sweater, for it was cold outside. *for means the exact same thing as because.  The only difference is that when you use for to join two sentences together into one compound sentence, you need to use a comma before it.  When you use because to join to sentences, you don’t use a comma before it. A – and          He was tired, and he had a headache. N – nor           She doesn’t drink milk, nor does she eat butter.                         I can’t whistle, nor can I sing.                         He didn’t study last night, nor did he read his book.                         They were not wearing jackets, nor were they carrying umbrellas. *nor means “also not”.  Nor requires unusual grammar.   The first sentence will contain a negative verb.  The second sentence will contain what looks like an interrogative affirmative verb form.  An auxiliary verb (do/does/did, is/am/are/was/were), modal verb (can/could/will/would/may/might/must/should), or be main verb (is/am/are/was/were) comes after nor and before the subject, and then the main verb comes after the subject. B – but           Tom studied a lot, but he didn’t pass the test. O – or             He can buy the book, or he can borrow it from the library. Y – yet            Tom studied a lot, yet he didn’t pass the test. *yet means the same thing as but.  S – so             Maria was thirsty, so she drank some water.                         It was cold outside, so she put on a sweater.

TAKEN FROM: www.csus.edu/fanboys.htm AND www2.estrellamountain.edu