What is a conjunction?

Conjunctions are used to express relationships between things in a sentence, link different clauses together, and to combine sentences.
(접속사는 문장에서 사물 간의 관계를 표현하고, 다른 절을 연결하고, 문장을 결합하는 데 사용됩니다.)

Without conjunctions, we would be forced to use brief, simple sentences that do not express the full range of meaning we wish to communicate. Plus, only using simple sentences would sound unnaturally abrupt and disjointed.
(접속사가 없으면 우리가 전달하고자 하는 의미의 전체 범위를 표현하지 못하는 짧고 간단한 문장을 사용해야 합니다. 게다가 단순한 문장만 사용하는 것은 부자연스럽게 엉뚱하고 엉성하게 들릴 것입니다.)

By using different kinds of conjunctions, however, we are able to make more complex, sophisticated sentences that show a connection between actions and ideas.
(여러 다른 종류의 접속어를 사용함으로써, 우리는 행동과 생각 사이의 연결을 보여주는 더 복잡하고 정교한 문장을 만들 수 있다.)

There are four main types of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions, and conjunctive adverbs. We’ll briefly examine each kind below.
(접속사는 네 가지 주요 유형이 있다: 등위 접속사 (coordinating conjunctions), 종속 접속사 (subordinating conjunctions), 상관 접속사 (correlative conjunctions) 및 접속 부사 (conjunctive adverbs). 아래에서 각 종류에 대해 간략히 살펴보자.)

Coordinating Conjunctions

The most common conjunctions are the coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, yet, for, so and nor. We use coordinating conjunctions between:

Individual words

• “I like to run and swim.”
• “Do you want pepperoni or anchovies on your pizza?”

Phrases

• “The president has been praised for both his willingness to negotiate and his strength in defending his principles.”
• “I am a big fan of playing sports but not watching them.”

Independent clauses

• “It was raining, so I took an umbrella.”
• “We went for a hike, but I didn’t bring the right shoes.”

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions connect a subordinate clause to an independent clause. For example:

• “Although it was raining, I didn’t take an umbrella.”
• “Even though she didn’t like pepperoni, she still ate the pizza.”
• “I went to work once I started feeling better.”
• “I intend to go to South America next month, provided that I can get the time off work.”

Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together to indicate the relationship between two elements in a sentence. For example:

• “Sports are a great way to bring people together, whether you like to play or just watch.”
• “I like neither pepperoni nor anchovies on my pizza.”

Conjunctive Adverbs

Conjunctive adverbs join two independent clauses. These can either be two separate sentences, or they can be joined into a single complex sentence with a semicolon. For example:

• “The English language school offers discounted English language courses. There’s also a library where you can study and borrow books.”
• “Jen hadn’t enjoyed the play; nevertheless, she recommended it to her friend.”