SAT Grammar: FANBOYS Conjunctions
The SAT exam is filled with grammar rules that students need to understand. One of the items that shows up most often on the exam and run-on sentences.
The typical run-on sentence occurs when you combine two complete sentences with a comma:
Complete sentence, Complete sentence
As an example:
I was frustrated with the policies of the our city, I decided to run for mayor.
Alternatively, the writer may just ignore the comma altogether and write:
Complete sentence Complete sentence
For example:
I was frustrated with the policies of our city I decided to run for mayor.
How do you correct this? There are a number of ways.
Use a period:
Complete sentence. Complete sentence
I was frustrated with the policies of our city. I decided to run for mayor.
Use a semicolon
Complete sentence; Complete sentence
I was frustrated with the policies of our city; I decided to run for mayor.
Change the wording
Create a dependent clause
Incomplete sentence, complete sentence
Because I was frustrated with the policies of our city, I decided to run for mayor.
Use a relative clause (who, which, that)
Use a noun phrase set off by commas
Use a modifier
Use and to join verbs
Use a coordinating conjunction
Complete sentence comma coordination conjunction complete sentence
I was frustrated with the policies of our city, so I decided to run for mayor.
The focus of this blog post is to talk about the coordinating conjunctions.
These conjunctions can be identified by using the mnemonic FANBOYS
F: For
A: And
N: Nor
B: But
O: Or
Y: Yet
S: So
The two most common ones that show up on the SAT exam are and and but.
Note that a FANBOYS conjunction should be used after a comma. Sometimes the exam writers will incorporate a FANBOY conjunction after a semicolon. This would not be an appropriate use of a FANBOY conjunction.