Collins Cobuild English Grammar (159 page)

8.159
    When you are giving advice, you sometimes want to tell someone what will happen if they do a particular thing. You do this by using an imperative clause, followed by
and
and a clause containing a verb in a form that expresses future time.

For example, instead of saying
If you go by train, you’ll get there quicker
, you can say
Go by train and you’ll get there quicker
.

Do as you are told
and
you’ll be alright.
You speak to me again like that
and
you’re going to be in serious trouble.

When you are giving advice, a warning, or an order, you sometimes want to tell someone what will happen if they do not do what you say. You do this by using an imperative clause, followed by
or
and a clause containing a verb in a form that expresses future time.

For example, instead of saying
Go away
!
If you don’t go away, I’ll scream
, you can say
Go away, or I’ll scream
.

Hurry up,
or
you’re going to be late for school.
Don’t fight
or
you’ll get hurt.

USAGE NOTE

8.160
    In writing, you can sometimes begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction. You do this to make the sentence seem more dramatic or forceful. Some people think this use is incorrect.

The villagers had become accustomed to minor earth tremors.
But
everyone knew that something unusual had woken them on Monday.
Do you think there is something wrong with her?
Or
do you just not like her?
Go now.
And
close that door.

USAGE NOTE

8.161
    Sometimes, in writing, two clauses can be made into one sentence without a coordinating conjunction being used. Instead, a semicolon or a dash is put between the clauses. This is a way of expressing two statements in one sentence when no particular coordinating conjunction seems appropriate.

The neighbours drove by; they couldn’t bear to look.
I couldn’t say thank you–those words were far too small for someone who had risked her life to save mine.

non-finite clauses

8.162
    Coordinating conjunctions can be used to link
non-finite clauses
.

To
-infinitive clauses can be linked by
and
or
or
.

We need to persuade drivers to leave their cars at home
and
to use the train instead.
She may decide to remarry
or
to live with one of her sisters.

Sometimes the second
to
is omitted.

They tried to clear the road
and
remove discarded objects.

When the second clause is negative, you can use
not
instead of
and not
.

I am paid to treat people,
not
to interrogate them.

Clauses beginning with a participle can be linked by
and
or
or
.

She lay on the bed gazing at the child
and
smiling at him.
You may be more comfortable wearing a cotton dress or shirt
or
sleeping under a cotton blanket.

However, if the first clause begins with
standing
,
sitting
, or
lying
, you do not usually put
and
between the clauses.

Inside were two lines of old people sitting facing each other.

8.163
    For information on how to coordinate more than two clauses, see paragraph
8.200
.

Linking verbs together

8.164
    When you are talking about two actions performed by the same person, thing, or group, you can use a coordinating conjunction to link two verbs.

intransitive verbs

8.165
    Coordinating conjunctions can be used to link
intransitive
verbs.

Mostly, they just
sat
and
chatted
.
We both
shrugged
and
laughed
.

transitive verbs

8.166
    When you are describing actions involving the same subject and object, you can link two
transitive
verbs. You put the object after the second verb only.

For example, instead of saying
He swept the floor and polished the floor
, you say
He swept and polished the floor
.

Wash
and
trim
the leeks.

Similarly, instead of saying
They walk to work or cycle to work
, you can say
They walk or cycle to work
.

I
shouted
and
waved
at them.

leaving out the auxiliary

8.167
    When you are linking verb phrases that contain the same auxiliary, you do not need to repeat the auxiliary in the second clause.

Someone
may be killed
or
seriously injured
.
Now he
is praised
rather than
criticized
.
He knew a lot about horses,
having lived
and
worked
with them all his life.

emphasizing repetition or duration

8.168
    If you want to say that someone does something repeatedly or for a long time, you can use
and
to link two identical verbs.

They
laughed
and
laughed
.
He
tried
and
tried
, but in the end he had to give up.

USAGE NOTE

8.169
     In informal speech,
and
is often used between
try
and another verb. For example, someone might say
I’ll try and get a newspaper
. However, this means the same as
I’ll try to get a newspaper
.

For more information about this use see paragraph
3.200
.

8.170
    For information on how to coordinate more than two verbs, see paragraph
8.200
.

Linking noun phrases

8.171
    When you are talking about two people or things, you can use a coordinating conjunction to link two noun phrases.

8.172
    In simple statements about two people or things, you use
and
.

There were men
and
women working in the fields.
I’ll give you a nice cup of tea
and
a biscuit.
…a friendship between a boy
and
a girl.

Instead of
and not
, you use
not
with a comma in front of it.

I prefer romantic comedies,
not
action movies.

If both people or things are the object of the verb in a negative sentence, you use
or
.

We didn’t play cricket
or
football.

alternatives

8.173
    When you are giving alternatives, you use
or
.

Serve fruit
or
cheese afterwards.
Do you have any brothers
or
sisters?

omitting determiners

8.174
    When you refer to two people or things using
and
or
or
, you usually repeat the determiner.

He was holding
a suitcase and a birdcage
.