Directions: You have underlined all prepositions and placed parentheses around all (conjunctions). Now check your answers with those below. If you missed an item and do not understand why, click on the hyper-text (in blue) to go to the part of the lesson that covers that point of grammar. Use your browser "back" button to return to this page.
Before
is a subordinating conjunction and must precede a clause.
For, when it is used in the sense of because is a
coordinating conjunction.
To is not a preposition; it is part of the infinitive to work.
Notice the difference in the use of as in this sentence (to introduce the clause "you leave the room") from the use as a preposition in sentence number two ("as their friend").
5. (Either) put the paper on my desk (or) give it to my secretary.
Correlative conjunction either. . .or
6. For dessert we had cherry pie, (but) I didn't eat any.
But and for are very versatile words. But is most often used as a coordinating conjunction just as it is here; however, it is frequently used as a preposition when it means "except." For is most often used as a preposition; however, it can be a coordinating conjunction with the meaning of "because," as it is in #2 above.
7. (Because) he is unable to go on the trip, he is (not only) grouchy (but also) rude.
8. My family made many sacrifices (so) I could attend college.
So with the meaning of "so that" or "in order that" is a subordinating conjunction. With the meaning of "therefore" (as in, "I am here, so [therefore] you can leave.") it is a coordinating conjunction. Notice that the use as a coordinating conjunction takes a comma when it joins two independent clauses. This use is covered in another lesson.
9. Before his death Nathan Hale said, "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country."
In this sentence the word that is a relative pronoun, not a subordinating conjunction. The test is this: Can you say "I regret that"? Yes, you can, but you can't say "I regret when" or "I regret although."
But in this sentence means "only," and is an adverb.
10. (Although) he may be standing in front of the building (as) he said, I won't be surprised (if) he isn't.
This sentence has three
subordinating conjunctions.
Consult "Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections" on your Student Page for further study if you scored less than 80% on this exercise.