Basics of conjunctions. 45 questions on coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) and basic sentence joining.
What this test covers
- FANBOYS
- Simple Sentence Joining
- Comma Usage
Answer the 45 questions below. Each answer is checked straight away, with an explanation. Press Submit at the end to get your score and save it to your dashboard. Answers are not kept if you leave before submitting.
All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
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Q1I like coffee ___ I like tea.
Answer: D. and
Use 'and' to join two similar ideas together. Here, both parts of the sentence describe things the speaker likes.
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Q2It was cold, ___ I wore a coat.
Answer: D. so
Use 'so' to show a result. Because it was cold, the result was wearing a coat.
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Q3The shop was closed, ___ we went home.
Answer: C. so
Use 'so' to connect a reason (the shop was closed) to a logical result (going home).
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Q4I want to go, ___ it is late.
Answer: C. but
Use 'but' to show a contrast or a problem. The speaker wants to go, but the lateness is a reason not to.
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Q5He was thirsty, ___ he drank some water.
Answer: D. so
Use 'so' to show the result of a feeling. He was thirsty, so the result was drinking water.
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Q6We arrived early, ___ the doors were locked.
Answer: C. yet
Use 'yet' to show a surprising contrast. Usually, if you arrive early, you expect doors to be open, but here they were closed.
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Q7I will either call you, ___ I will send an email.
Answer: C. or
The word 'either' at the start signals that 'or' must be used to complete the thought. 'And' does not work with 'either'.
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Q8She is smart, ___ she is kind.
Answer: A. and
Use 'and' to add another positive quality to the first one.
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Q9He wanted tea, ___ he wanted cake.
Answer: A. and
Use 'and' to join two similar things that someone wants.
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Q10We can either watch a movie, ___ we can read a book.
Answer: C. or
When you use 'either' earlier in the sentence, you must use 'or' later. They go together.
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Q11I am tired, ___ I am going to bed.
Answer: B. so
Use 'so' to show the result. Being tired leads to the action of going to bed.
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Q12I like coffee ___ tea.
Answer: D. and
Use 'and' to join two simple items in a list.
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Q13He didn't study, ___ he failed the test.
Answer: D. so
Use 'so' to show the result of an action. Failing was the result of not studying.
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Q14The sun was hot, ___ we stayed in the shade.
Answer: D. so
Use 'so' to link a situation (hot sun) to the logical action taken because of it.
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Q15He is very rich, ___ he is not happy.
Answer: C. but
Use 'but' to show a contrast between two different ideas (being rich and being unhappy).
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Q16I like apples ___ oranges.
Answer: C. and
Use 'and' to join two similar things together.
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Q17The cake was delicious, ___ the icing was too sweet.
Answer: A. but
Use 'but' to show a contrast. The cake itself was good, but one part of it was a bit negative.
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Q18The park is nice, ___ the trees are tall.
Answer: D. and
Use 'and' to add more information about why the park is nice.
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Q19The book is expensive, ___ it is worth it.
Answer: C. but
Use 'but' to show a contrast between the high price and the high value.
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Q20He went to the store, ___ he bought milk.
Answer: C. and
Use 'and' to join two actions that happen one after the other.
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Q21The car is fast, ___ it is not safe.
Answer: C. but
Use 'but' to show a negative point (not safe) after a positive point (fast).
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Q22She plays guitar, ___ she plays drums.
Answer: B. and
Use 'and' to add two similar facts together.
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Q23You can only choose one — do you want pizza ___ pasta?
Answer: C. or
When only one choice is possible, 'or' is used to present the two alternatives. 'And' would imply both can be chosen together, which contradicts 'only choose one'.
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Q24She was tired, ___ she went to bed early.
Answer: D. so
Use 'so' to show the result of being tired.
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Q25I am allergic to cats, ___ I don't have one.
Answer: D. so
Use 'so' to show the result of a situation. The allergy is the reason, and not having a cat is the result.
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Q26You can have the cake, ___ you can have the pie, but not both.
Answer: B. or
'Or' is used to offer a choice between two options. The phrase 'but not both' confirms that only one can be selected, making 'and' incorrect.
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Q27He was hungry, ___ he didn't eat anything.
Answer: A. but
Use 'but' to show something unexpected. Usually, people eat when they are hungry.
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Q28The movie was long ___ boring.
Answer: C. and
Use 'and' to join two adjectives that describe the same thing.
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Q29She likes swimming ___ running.
Answer: D. and
Use 'and' to join two activities that someone enjoys.
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Q30I have a cat ___ a dog.
Answer: A. and
Use 'and' to join two nouns in a simple list.
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Q31She is tired, ___ she is sleeping.
Answer: D. so
Use 'so' to show a result. Sleeping is the result of being tired.
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Q32He is happy, ___ he is dancing.
Answer: A. so
Use 'so' to show that dancing is the result of his happiness.
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Q33The dog barked, ___ the cat slept.
Answer: B. yet
Use 'yet' to show a surprising contrast. Even though the dog was loud, the cat stayed asleep.
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Q34We can walk ___ take the bus.
Answer: D. or
Use 'or' to show two different choices for travel.
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Q35She plays the piano, ___ she sings well too.
Answer: D. and
Use 'and' to add more information about her musical skills.
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Q36I studied hard, ___ I passed the exam.
Answer: C. so
Use 'so' to show that passing the exam was the result of studying hard.
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Q37He studied, ___ he wanted to pass.
Answer: C. for
In formal English, 'for' can mean 'because'. It explains the reason why he studied.
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Q38We can go now, ___ we can wait.
Answer: A. or
Use 'or' to present two different options for what to do.
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Q39I want a car, ___ I cannot drive.
Answer: B. but
Use 'but' to show a problem or an obstacle.
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Q40She sang, ___ he danced.
Answer: B. and
Use 'and' to join two actions happening at the same time.
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Q41Identify the correct sentence:
Answer: B. I bought milk and bread.
We do not need a comma when we join just two simple items like 'milk and bread'.
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Q42Identify the correct sentence:
Answer: B. I like pizza but not salad.
We don't need a comma here because 'not salad' is not a complete sentence on its own.
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Q43Identify the correct sentence:
Answer: B. I like ice cream, and I like cake.
When we join two complete sentences using 'and', we usually put a comma before the word 'and'.
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Q44Identify the correct sentence:
Answer: A. He is happy, so he is dancing.
When we join two complete sentences with 'so', we put a comma before it.
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Q45Identify the correct sentence:
Answer: C. I am tired, so I am going to bed.
When joining two complete thoughts with 'so', place the comma before 'so', not after it.
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