We explain what adversative conjunctions are in grammar, their function and examples. Also, other coordinating conjunctions.
What are adversative conjunctions?
In grammar and syntax, a class of coordinating conjunctions is called adversative conjunctions or adversative links, that is, those that link two or more elements, words or sentences in a non-hierarchical and interchangeable way; but unlike other coordinating conjunctions, adversative introduce a relationship of opposition or contradiction between the linked terms.
In other words, when we use an adversative conjunction, we are posing a contradiction between the linked elements. According to the type of annoyance, we talk about:
- Exclusive Adverse Conjunctions: The annoyance is total, that is to say that one element prevents the realization of the other
- Restrictive Adverse Conjunctions: The contradiction is partial, since one element only opposes the other.
In this way, the main adversarial links are “but”, “more”, “however”, “although”, “but”, “nevertheless” and “but” (in disuse). It is also possible to use with the same value and meaning certain turns of language such as “with everything”, “rather”, “except”, “saved”, “despite” and “less”. And it is very common that, when using these types of words, they must be preceded by a pause, whether it is represented by a comma, or not.
Examples of adversative conjunctions
Examples of sentences with adverse conjunctions are the following:
- We wanted to travel but the pandemic got in the way.
- I have money, but I would not want to spend it.
- The experiment was successful, although the results were different than expected.
- Although you have no siblings, your family is quite large.
- Writing is difficult Nevertheless we do it daily.
- Ana doesn’t live in the city, and Nevertheless work on it.
- They approved the budget, despite from the criticisms we made.
- We do not buy alfalfa, otherwise curly lettuce.
- Jesus was not the one who broke the sale, otherwise Manuel.
- I did everything on my list except clean the kitchen.
- I bought you what you asked me for, less in-line skates.
- The soldiers came home except Ramirez.
Other coordinating conjunctions
In addition to adversative conjunctions, there are the following types of coordinating conjunctions:
- Copulative conjunctions, which link two or more terms from an addition or accumulation relationship. For example: “I feel like running and dance “or” Don’t you have tables, neither chairs, neither sofa?”.
- Disjunctive conjunctions, which introduce a mutually exclusive relationship between linked elements. For example: “Do you want rice or do you prefer mashed potatoes? ”.
- Distributive conjunctions, which distribute a specific meaning between the linked terms. For example: “We will get home, be today, be morning”.
- Explanatory conjunctions, that link elements that have the same meaning but different form, to insist on what was said or explain it better. For example: “Patricia graduated, I mean, is now an engineer ”.