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How to Use Conjunctions

Conjunctions का प्रयोग कैसे करें

📝 Detailed Tutorial with Step-by-Step Rules

💡 About This Tutorial

This section provides detailed step-by-step instructions on how to use 21 different types of conjunctions to combine sentences. Each conjunction type has specific rules that you must follow to create grammatically correct sentences.

Important: Master these rules for perfect sentence combining in your RBSE exams!

1️⃣ Use of 'Both - and' (और – भी)

📘 Rules

When both sentences have the SAME subject:

  1. Write the common part of the sentence, then add "both"
  2. Write the remaining part of the first sentence
  3. Add "and" followed by the remaining part of the second sentence

✅ Examples (Same Subject):

• His father is a teacher. He is a poet.

→ His father is both a teacher and a poet.

• Ram is a player. He is a student.

→ Ram is both a player and a student.

When both sentences have DIFFERENT subjects:

  1. Start with "Both"
  2. Write the first subject
  3. Add "and" followed by the second subject
  4. Change the verb to plural form and write the rest of the sentence

✅ Examples (Different Subjects):

• Rajesh was a student. Sita was a student.

→ Both Rajesh and Sita were students.

• English is an important language. Hindi is an important language.

→ Both English and Hindi are important languages.

2️⃣ Use of 'and' (और)

When both sentences have the SAME subject:

  1. Write the first sentence completely
  2. Remove the full stop and add "and"
  3. Skip the common part of the second sentence and write only the remaining part

✅ Examples (Same Subject):

• Sita came to my house. She cooked food for me.

→ Sita came to my house and cooked food for me.

• Ram is going to Jaipur. He is going to Ajmer.

→ Ram is going to Jaipur and Ajmer.

When both sentences have DIFFERENT subjects:

  1. Write the first subject
  2. Add "and" followed by the second subject
  3. Change the verb to plural form and write the rest

✅ Examples (Different Subjects):

• Sarita likes coffee. Saroj likes coffee.

→ Sarita and Saroj like coffee.

• Ram is my brother. Shyam is my brother.

→ Ram and Shyam are my brothers.

3️⃣ Use of 'Not only - but also' (केवल ही नहीं – बल्कि)

When both sentences have the SAME subject:

  1. Write the common part up to where they differ, then add "not only"
  2. Write the remaining part of the first sentence
  3. Skip the common part of the second sentence, add "but also"
  4. Write the remaining part of the second sentence

✅ Examples (Same Subject):

• Ram plays cricket. He plays hockey.

→ Ram plays not only cricket but also hockey.

• Ram saw a tiger. He saw a lion.

→ Ram saw not only a tiger but also a lion.

When both sentences have DIFFERENT subjects:

  1. Start with "Not only"
  2. Write the first subject
  3. Add "but also" followed by the second subject
  4. Write the rest of the sentence as is

✅ Examples (Different Subjects):

• My brother helps me in my work. My teacher helps me in my work.

→ Not only my brother but also my teacher helps me in my work.

• Saroj lives in this house. Narendra lives in this house.

→ Not only Saroj but also Narendra lives in this house.

4️⃣ Use of 'Either - or' (या तो – या)

Same rules as "Not only - but also" but:

  • Use "either" instead of "not only"
  • Use "or" instead of "but also"

✅ Examples:

• Hari must work hard. He must play some game.

→ Hari must either work hard or play some game.

• He is going to Jaipur. She is going to Jaipur.

→ Either he or she is going to Jaipur.

5️⃣ Use of 'Neither - nor' (न तो – न)

Important: Remove "not/do not/does not/did not" from sentences because "neither...nor" is already negative.

Follow the same rules as "Either - or" but use "neither" and "nor"

✅ Examples (Same Subject):

• He does not play football. He does not play hockey.

→ He plays neither football nor hockey.

✅ Examples (Different Subjects):

• The teachers did not play hockey. The students did not play hockey.

→ Neither the teachers nor the students played hockey.

Note: If "does not" appears, remove it and add s/es to the verb. If "did not" appears, remove it and use V2.

6️⃣ Use of 'So - that' (इतना – कि)

  1. In the first sentence, replace "very/quite" with "so"
  2. Add "that" and write the second sentence as is

✅ Examples:

• Ram is very tired. He cannot walk anymore.

→ Ram is so tired that he cannot walk anymore.

• He is quite clever. You understand well.

→ He is so clever that you understand well.

7️⃣ Use of 'Too - to' (इतना – कि)

When both sentences have the SAME subject:

  1. In the first sentence, replace "very/much" with "too"
  2. Replace the full stop with "to"
  3. In the second sentence, remove everything up to "cannot/could not"
  4. Write the remaining part after "to"

✅ Examples (Same Subject):

• My sister is much tired. She cannot work hard.

→ My sister is too tired to work hard.

• The old man was very weak. He could not walk fast.

→ The old man was too weak to walk fast.

When both sentences have DIFFERENT subjects:

  1. In the first sentence, replace "very/much" with "too"
  2. Replace the full stop with "for"
  3. Change the second sentence's subject to object form (I→me, we→us, he→him, she→her, they→them)
  4. Remove "cannot/could not" and add "to"
  5. Write the rest (remove "it/them" at the end if present)

✅ Examples (Different Subjects):

• The tea is very hot. I cannot drink it.

→ The tea is too hot for me to drink.

• The question is very hard. She cannot solve it.

→ The question is too hard for her to solve.

• The print was very small. My grandfather could not read it.

→ The print was too small for my grandfather to read.

Note: If the second subject is a noun (Ram, Naresh, My father), keep it as is after "for". Only change pronouns to object form.

8️⃣ Converting 'Too - to' to 'So - that'

When the sentence has ONE subject:

  1. Replace "too" with "so"
  2. Replace "to" with "that"
  3. Write the subject as pronoun
  4. Add "cannot" (if is/am/are) or "could not" (if was/were)
  5. Write the rest as is

✅ Examples (One Subject):

• The news is too good to be true.

→ The news is so good that it cannot be true.

• My mother was too old to run fast.

→ My mother was so old that she could not run fast.

• My brother is too weak to work hard.

→ My brother is so weak that he cannot work hard.

When the sentence has TWO different subjects:

  1. Replace "too" with "so"
  2. Replace "for" with "that"
  3. Change the pronoun after "for" to subject form (me→I, us→we, him→he, her→she, them→they)
  4. Replace "to" with "cannot/could not"
  5. Write the rest

✅ Examples (Two Subjects):

• The tree is too high for me to climb.

→ The tree is so high that I cannot climb.

• The weather is too cold for us to go out.

→ The weather is so cold that we cannot go out.

• The box was too heavy for Ram to lift.

→ The box was so heavy that Ram could not lift.

9️⃣ Use of 'as well as' (और भी)

  1. Write the first sentence's subject
  2. Add "as well as"
  3. Write the second sentence's subject
  4. Continue with the rest from the first sentence

Important: The verb agrees with the subject BEFORE "as well as"

✅ Examples:

• My sister is intelligent. Your sister is intelligent.

→ My sister as well as your sister is intelligent.

• He has bought these pens. His brother has bought these pens.

→ He as well as his brother has bought these pens.

• He is poor. I am poor.

→ He as well as I is poor.

🔟 Use of 'While'

  1. Write the first sentence completely
  2. Replace the full stop with "while"
  3. Write the second sentence (it must be in continuous tense)

✅ Examples:

• My mother was cooking food. My father was reading newspaper.

→ My mother was cooking food while my father was reading newspaper.

• He went out. His wife was cooking food.

→ He went out while his wife was cooking food.

1️⃣1️⃣ Use of 'But' (परन्तु, लेकिन)

  1. Write the first sentence completely
  2. Replace the full stop with "but"
  3. Write the second sentence

Note: Used to show contrast between two statements

✅ Examples:

• Ram is poor. He is honest.

→ Ram is poor but he is honest.

• He worked hard. He failed in the examination.

→ He worked hard but he failed in the examination.

• She tried her best. She could not succeed.

→ She tried her best but she could not succeed.

1️⃣2️⃣ Use of 'Though' or 'Although' (यद्यपि)

  1. Start with "Though" or "Although"
  2. Write the first sentence (without full stop)
  3. Add a comma
  4. Write the second sentence

Alternative: You can also put "though/although" between the two sentences with a comma before it

✅ Examples:

• He is poor. He is honest.

→ Though he is poor, he is honest.

→ Although he is poor, he is honest.

→ He is poor, though he is honest.

• He worked hard. He failed.

→ Though he worked hard, he failed.

→ He worked hard, though he failed.

1️⃣3️⃣ Use of 'Yet', 'Still', 'However', 'Nevertheless'

These words show strong contrast and are interchangeable:

  1. Write the first sentence
  2. Replace the full stop with a comma
  3. Add "yet" or "still"
  4. Write the second sentence

For However/Nevertheless: Use a semicolon (;) instead of comma, then add the word

✅ Examples:

• He is poor. He is honest.

→ He is poor, yet he is honest.

→ He is poor, still he is honest.

→ He is poor; however, he is honest.

→ He is poor; nevertheless, he is honest.

• She worked very hard. She failed in the exam.

→ She worked very hard, yet she failed in the exam.

→ She worked very hard; however, she failed in the exam.

1️⃣4️⃣ Use of 'So' or 'therefore' (इसलिए)

  1. Write the first sentence
  2. Replace the full stop with "so" or use semicolon (;) with "therefore"
  3. Write the second sentence (which shows the result/consequence)

Note: The second sentence must be a result or consequence of the first

✅ Examples:

• He worked hard. He passed the examination.

→ He worked hard so he passed the examination.

→ He worked hard; therefore, he passed the examination.

• It was raining heavily. We stayed at home.

→ It was raining heavily so we stayed at home.

→ It was raining heavily; therefore, we stayed at home.

• She was ill. She did not go to school.

→ She was ill so she did not go to school.

1️⃣5️⃣ Use of 'Or', 'else', 'otherwise' (नहीं तो, अन्यथा)

Used when the first sentence is a command/advice and second shows negative consequence:

  1. Write the first sentence (command/advice)
  2. Replace the full stop with "or", "else", or "otherwise"
  3. Write the second sentence (negative consequence)

Note: These three words are interchangeable in this context

✅ Examples:

• Work hard. You will fail.

→ Work hard or you will fail.

→ Work hard else you will fail.

→ Work hard otherwise you will fail.

• Hurry up. You will miss the train.

→ Hurry up or you will miss the train.

→ Hurry up else you will miss the train.

• Study regularly. You will not pass the exam.

→ Study regularly or you will not pass the exam.

1️⃣6️⃣ Use of 'Since', 'As', 'Because' (क्योंकि)

Used to show reason/cause (all three are interchangeable):

  1. Start with "Since", "As", or "Because"
  2. Write the sentence that gives the reason
  3. Add a comma
  4. Write the sentence that shows the result

Alternative: You can also put these conjunctions between the two sentences

✅ Examples:

• He was ill. He could not attend the meeting.

→ Since he was ill, he could not attend the meeting.

→ As he was ill, he could not attend the meeting.

→ Because he was ill, he could not attend the meeting.

→ He could not attend the meeting because he was ill.

• It was raining. We did not go out.

→ Since it was raining, we did not go out.

→ We did not go out as it was raining.

Important Note: "Since" can also be used as a preposition of time meaning "from that time". Example: "I have been living here since 2020."

1️⃣7️⃣ Use of 'as - as' and 'so - as' (जितना – उतना)

For POSITIVE comparison (equality):

  1. Write the first sentence up to the adjective/adverb
  2. Add "as" before the adjective/adverb
  3. Add "as" after the adjective/adverb
  4. Write the second sentence (skip the common part and verb)

For NEGATIVE comparison: Use "so - as" instead of "as - as"

✅ Examples (Positive):

• Ram is intelligent. Shyam is intelligent.

→ Ram is as intelligent as Shyam.

• She runs fast. Her sister runs fast.

→ She runs as fast as her sister.

• This book is interesting. That book is interesting.

→ This book is as interesting as that book.

✅ Examples (Negative):

• Ram is not clever. Shyam is clever.

→ Ram is not so clever as Shyam.

• She does not run fast. Her sister runs fast.

→ She does not run so fast as her sister.

1️⃣8️⃣ Use of 'If', 'Unless', 'In case', 'Until', 'Supposing'

Use of 'If' (यदि, अगर)

  1. Start with "If"
  2. Write the condition sentence
  3. Add a comma
  4. Write the result sentence

✅ Examples (If):

• You work hard. You will pass.

→ If you work hard, you will pass.

• It rains tomorrow. We will not go out.

→ If it rains tomorrow, we will not go out.

Use of 'Unless' (जब तक नहीं)

Important: "Unless" means "if not", so remove "not" from the condition sentence

  1. Start with "Unless"
  2. Write the condition sentence (remove "not/do not/does not")
  3. Add comma and write the result

✅ Examples (Unless):

• You do not work hard. You will fail.

→ Unless you work hard, you will fail.

• He does not come soon. We shall miss the train.

→ Unless he comes soon, we shall miss the train.

Use of 'In case' (यदि ऐसा हो कि)

Similar to "if" but used for precautionary measures

✅ Examples (In case):

• It may rain. Take an umbrella.

→ Take an umbrella in case it rains.

Use of 'Until' (जब तक)

Shows continuation up to a point in time

✅ Examples (Until):

• Wait here. I return.

→ Wait here until I return.

• Keep trying. You succeed.

→ Keep trying until you succeed.

Use of 'Supposing' (मान लो कि)

Similar to "if" but for hypothetical situations

✅ Examples (Supposing):

• He comes late. What will we do?

→ Supposing he comes late, what will we do?

1️⃣9️⃣ Use of 'Lest' (ऐसा न हो कि)

Used to show fear or precaution to avoid something bad:

  1. Write the first sentence
  2. Replace the full stop with "lest"
  3. Write the second sentence but remove "not/may not"
  4. Add "should" after the subject

Important: "Lest" is already negative, so remove "not" from the second sentence

✅ Examples:

• Walk carefully. You may fall down.

→ Walk carefully lest you should fall down.

• Work hard. You may not fail.

→ Work hard lest you should fail.

• Run fast. You may miss the train.

→ Run fast lest you should miss the train.

• Be careful. You may not get hurt.

→ Be careful lest you should get hurt.

Note: "Should" is mandatory after "lest". Also note how negative sentences become positive after "lest".

2️⃣0️⃣ Use of 'Hardly - when' / 'Scarcely - when'

Shows that second action happened immediately after the first:

  1. Start with "Hardly" or "Scarcely"
  2. Write "had" followed by the subject
  3. Write V3 (past participle) form of the verb
  4. Add "when"
  5. Write the second sentence in past tense

Note: Both sentences must be in past tense originally

✅ Examples:

• The teacher entered the class. The students stood up.

→ Hardly had the teacher entered the class when the students stood up.

→ Scarcely had the teacher entered the class when the students stood up.

• I reached the station. The train left.

→ Hardly had I reached the station when the train left.

• He heard the news. He started crying.

→ Scarcely had he heard the news when he started crying.

Remember: The structure is always: Hardly/Scarcely + had + subject + V3 + when + subject + V2

2️⃣1️⃣ Use of 'No sooner - than'

Same meaning as "Hardly-when" but uses "than" instead of "when":

  1. Start with "No sooner"
  2. Write "had" followed by the subject
  3. Write V3 (past participle) form of the verb
  4. Add "than" (NOT "when")
  5. Write the second sentence in past tense

✅ Examples:

• The teacher entered the class. The students stood up.

→ No sooner had the teacher entered the class than the students stood up.

• I reached the station. The train left.

→ No sooner had I reached the station than the train left.

• He saw the police. He ran away.

→ No sooner had he seen the police than he ran away.

Key Difference: Hardly/Scarcely use "when", but No sooner uses "than"

2️⃣2️⃣ Use of 'As soon as' (जैसे ही – वैसे ही)

Simplest way to show immediate succession:

  1. Start with "As soon as"
  2. Write the first sentence as is
  3. Add a comma
  4. Write the second sentence

Note: This is much simpler than "Hardly-when" or "No sooner-than" and means the same thing

✅ Examples:

• The teacher entered the class. The students stood up.

→ As soon as the teacher entered the class, the students stood up.

• I reached the station. The train left.

→ As soon as I reached the station, the train left.

• He heard the news. He came to my house.

→ As soon as he heard the news, he came to my house.

• The bell rang. The students rushed out.

→ As soon as the bell rang, the students rushed out.

Tip: "As soon as" is the easiest option - use it when you're unsure about the complex structures of "Hardly/Scarcely-when" or "No sooner-than"

📚 Practice Makes Perfect!

Master these 21 conjunction usage rules and you'll be able to combine any sentences perfectly in your RBSE exams. Practice each rule with different examples to build your confidence!

Next Step: Go back to the main Conjunctions page to attempt practice exercises.

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