Words like “and” and “or” are conjunctions, and more specifically they are coordinating conjunctions.

What kind of words are “and” and “or”?

  • “And” is a conjunction , used to join words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank, like “cats and dogs” or “she sang and danced”.
  • “Or” is also a conjunction , used to present choices or alternatives, as in “tea or coffee”. Coordinating conjunctions link elements that are grammatically equal.

Coordinating conjunctions in action

  • “And” usually adds or combines ideas: “I bought apples and oranges.”
  • “Or” offers options: “You can stay or leave.” These words help show the logical relationship between the parts of a sentence.

Mini table: “and” vs “or”

[6][1] [5][8]
Word Part of speech Basic use
and Conjunction (coordinating) Connects or adds equal ideas: “salt and pepper”.
or Conjunction (coordinating) Shows alternatives or choices: “now or later”.
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