Conjunctions

• Conjunctions join words, phrases or clauses. 

• One type is known as a coordinating conjunction. There are seven: but, or, yet, for, and, nor, so.

• Use a comma to separate two independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction.

• That means you should just make sure that the two parts of the overall sentence could be sentences themselves.

Correct example:

The drainage problem persists on Niagara Street, yet officials continue to argue over which department will pay for the improvements.

Look at it in parts:

The drainage problem persists on Niagara Street --  complete sentence

,  -- here's the comma

 yet -- this is the coordinating conjunction 

officials continue to argue over which department will pay for the improvements. 
                                                                                                      -- a complete sentence

Another one:

The defense is without its star player this week, but the coaches have confidence that the team will pull off a win.

Taken apart:

The defense is without its star player this week -- a complete sentence 

,  -- here's the comma 

but  -- the coordinating conjunction 

the coaches have confidence that the team will pull off a win. -- a complete sentence

Don't insert a comma before any coordinating conjunction because it looks like it might be correct!

Wrong example:

He started his career as a youth aide, and continues to have a passion to work with kids.

Broken down into parts: 

He started his career as a youth aide -- a complete sentence  

, -- here's a comma 

and -- the coordinating conjunction

continues to have a passion to work with kids.-- not a complete sentence. It is missing a subject.

The sentence would be correctly written without the comma:

He started out as a youth aide and continues to have a passion to work with kids.