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University GHA/D Unit Admission Test Question Solution || Tips and Tricks for Conjunction Understanding
A
conjunction is a word which merely joins together sentences or clauses, and
sometimes words.
1. That is a beautiful place and I have
been there.
2. That is the beautiful place where I
have been to.
Conjunctions
are divided into two classes:
Co-ordinate Conjunction : It joins together clauses of equal ranks. For e.g. He is
slow, but he is sure.
Sub-ordinate Conjunction : It joins together clauses in which one is dependent on the
other. E.g.
Since
you wish to excel in life, you must learn English.
Rule: Scarcely
should be followed by when, not by than.
Incorrect: Scarcely
had he arrived than he had to leave again.
Correct: Scarcely
had he arrived when he had to leave again.
Rule: No sooner
is followed by than, not by but.
Incorrect: No sooner
had we reached the station but the train left.
Correct: No sooner
had we reached the station than the train left.
Note : "No
sooner A ... than B" is very similar to "Scarcely A... when B"
and has almost the same meaning.
Rule : Do not use
seldom or ever in place of seldom or never.
Incorrect: The
national network seldom or ever telecasts good programmes.
Correct: The national
network seldom or never telecasts good programmes.
Rule : Correlative
conjunctions should be followed by the same part of speech.
Incorrect: He neither
agreed to my proposal nor to his.
Correct: He agreed
neither to my proposal nor to his.
Rule : Neither is
followed by nor, not by or.
Incorrect: The phone neither
went dead nor worked properly.
Correct: The phone
neither went dead nor worked properly.
Rule : The
conjunction that is not used before
i) A sentence in direct narration.
ii) An interrogative adverb or interrogative pronoun in the indirect narration.
Incorrect: He said
that, "it is none of my business".
Correct: He said,
"It is none of my business."
Incorrect: He asked me
that which was the way to the station.
Correct: He asked me
which was the way to the station.
Rule : Although
goes with yet or a comma (,) in the other clause.
Incorrect: Although
Manohar is hardworking, but he does not get a job.
Correct: Although
Manohar is hardworking, yet he does not get a job.
Note :
Though/Although is used with contradictory sentences (sentences expressing
opposite views).
Incorrect: Since she
was sick, she attended the party.
Correct: Though she
was sick, she attended the party.
Rule : Nothing
else should be followed by but, not by than.
Incorrect: Mr
Bureaucrat! This is nothing else than red-tapism.
Correct: Mr
Bureaucrat! This is nothing else but red-tapism.
Rule : The
correlative conjunctions indeed... but are used to emphasis the contrast
between the first and the second parts of the statement.
Incorrect: I am indeed
happy with my school but it produces famous men.
Correct: I am indeed
happy with my school that it produces famous men.
Rule : In a
"not only ... but also ... "sentence, the verb should agree with the
noun or pronoun mentioned second, that is, the one after but also because this
is the part being emphasised.
Incorrect: Not only
the students but also the teacher were responsible for what happened in the
class.
Correct: Not only
the students but also the teacher was responsible for what happened in the
class.
Rule : Not only
... but also always comes before the same part of speech.
Incorrect: They not
only gave me standing ovation but also a cash prize of `1000.
Correct: They gave
me not only standing ovation but also a cash prize of `1000.
Rule : Such...as
is used to denote a category whereas such...that emphasises the degree of
something by mentioning its consequence.
Incorrect: Each member
of the alliance agrees to take such action as it deems necessary.
Correct: Each member
of the alliance agrees to take such action that it deems necessary.
Rule : The
conjunction “lest” is followed by “should”.
Incorrect: Work hard
lest you would fail.
Correct: Work hard
lest you should fail.
Note: “Lest” is a
negative word. There should be no use of “not”, “nothing”, “never”, “no” with
lest”.
Incorrect: Word hard
lest you should not fail.
Correct: Word hard
lest you should fail.
Rule : The
conjunction so-as is used for comparison in a negative sentence whereas-as is
used in a positive or affirmative sentence.
Incorrect: He is not
as tall as his brother.
Correct: He is not
so tall as his brother.
Rule : The
conjunction, “both” is followed by “and” and not by “as well as” or “along
with”.
Incorrect: Both the
boys as well as the girls were absent.
Correct: Both the
boys and the girls were absent.
Rule : The
conjunction “unless” denotes condition whereas “until” denotes time.
Incorrect: Until you
work hard, you will not succeed.
Correct: Unless you
work hard, you will not succeed.
Note : “Unless”
and “Until” are negative words. There should be no use of “not” “nothing”,
“never” with unless and until.
Questions based on above concepts
Directions :
In each of the following questions, find out which part of the sentence has an
error. The error may be grammatical or idiomatic. If there is no mistake, the
answer is ‘No error’.
1. The managing director well as (a)/
the Board members was in (b)/ favour of taking strict action (c)/ against the
striking workers. (d)/ No error (e)
2. Unless he does not return (a)/ all
the library books (b)/ he will not be relieved (c)/ from the service.(d)/ No
error (e)
3. You must either tell me (a)/ the whole story or (b)/, at
least, the (c)/ first half of it. (d)/ No error (e)
4. The old woman has had the (a)/ best
medical facilities available (b)/ but she will not be cured unless she does not
have (c)/ a strong desire to live.(d)/ No error (e)
5. Hardly had I reached (a)/ the airport
where (b)/ I learnt about the powerful (c)/ bomb explosion.(d)/ No error (e)
6. The manager of the bank (a)/ was
busy; so he asked them (b)/ to come and see him between two to (c)/ three in
the afternoon.(d)/ No error (e)
7. Because he is physically (a)/ strong,
therefore he was (b)/ selected for the school (c)/ boxing team.(d)/ No error
(e)
8. Being a strict (a)/ vegetarian he
depended (b)/ on milk and fruit and (c)/ had to cook for himself.(d)/ No error
(e)
9. Even though the shirt (a)/ is rather
expensive but (b)/ I wish to purchase (c)/ it with my own money.(d)/ No error
(e)
10. Unless Ashish does not (a)/ return
all the library books, (b)/ he will not be awarded (c)/ the pass certificate.
(d)/ No error (e)
Answers
1.
a; Add ‘as’ before ‘well’
2.
a; Replace ‘does not return’ with ‘returns’
3.
e; No error
4.
c; Replace ‘does not have’ with ‘has’
5.
b; Replace ‘where’ with ‘when’
6.
c; Replace ‘to’ with ‘and’
7.
b; Remove ‘therefore’
8.
c; Replace ‘and’ with ‘or’
9.
b; Remove ‘but’
10.
a; Replace ‘unless’ with ‘if’
