Conjunctions are words that connect clauses into sentences. Test your understanding of conjunctions with this grammar exercise.
Fill in the blanks with an appropriate conjunction or relative pronoun.
1. You must not question .............................. does not concern you.
What means that which.
2. My sister reads .............................. she gets some free time.
Both when and whenever are possible here, but whenever is more emphatic.
3. Ria is confident ............................ she will win the race.
4. You have to decide ........................... subject you want to study.
Which and what are often both possible with little difference of meaning.
5. Aunt Polly suspected ........................ Tom was playing some tricks on her.
The conjunction 'that' can connect the main clause to a subordinate noun clause.
6. .............................. she was behaving so strangely was not clear to us.
The question word why indicates reason.
7. My grandmother can only walk slowly ........................ she has arthritis.
So indicates the result; because indicates the reason.
8. ......................... it tried very hard, the cat could not climb the tree.
All of these conjunctions have the same meaning. Even though is more emphatic.
9. ........................... you are determined you can succeed in whatever you do.
Whether cannot be used to indicate a condition.
10. The man asked ........................ I could help him.
Both if and whether can be used to introduce an indirect question.
11. She waited in the park .......................... her friends arrived.
Unless means if not. Until indicates time.
12. .......................... you give me the keys of the safe, you will be shot.
Unless indicates a condition. It means if not.
Answers
1. You must not question what does not concern you.
2. My sister reads whenever she gets some free time.
3. Ria is confident that she will win the race.
4. You have to decide which / what subject you want to study.
5. Aunt Polly suspected that Tom was playing some tricks on her.
6. Why she was behaving so strangely was not clear to us.
7. My grandmother can only walk slowly because she has arthritis.
8. Though it tried very hard, the cat could not climb the tree.
9. If you are determined you can succeed in whatever you do.
10. The man asked if / whether I could help him.
11. She waited in the park until her friends arrived.
12. Unless you give me the keys of the safe, you will be shot.
