Conjunctions join words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. Coordinating conjunctions join equivalent grammatical elements, and include the words and, but, and so. Subordinating conjunctions join an independent clause to a dependent (or subordinate) clause, and include words and phrases like although, because, before, even though, in order to, so that, and while. Correlative conjunctions are words that come in pairs, like either… or, neither… nor, and both… and.
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as well as
The phrase as well as functions like the word ‘and’, and is slightly more formal. However, as well as is not synonymous with ‘and’, and as well as can not always be used instead of ‘and’. The phrase places slightly more emphasis on the items that were listed before it.
Several case studies are presented based on information gathered from the inscriptions as well as from the archaeological material.
Here, the implication is that the inscriptions are the primary source of information. The archaeological material is not exactly lessened in importance, but it is simply not the focus.
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nor
Usually nor is part of the correlative conjunction pair neither… nor… However, just as or can be used without either, nor can be used without neither, as long as the first clause or sentence was negative.
However, no details were presented in the examined products, nor could a pilot get specific information about the degree of any accompanying aviation hazards.
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Correlative conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions are joining words that come in pairs, like either… or and neither… nor.
Either chocolates or biscuits sound good to me.
Neither biscuits nor ice cream sound good to me.
Both biscuits and ice cream sound good to me.
Whether we like it or not, winter is here.
See the separate entries for the correlative pairs the… the… and rather… than…
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rather… than…
The word pair rather… than… compares two hypothetical outcomes, often with the verb ‘would’. The two things being compared should be in the same grammatical form. Note especially that the word ‘to’ should not come after the word than, unless it also appeared after the word rather. Note also that the phrase rather than with no words in between (as in “They prefer to be right rather than wrong”) is not a conjunction.
Weather forecasters would rather be right than be wrong.
Weather forecasters would rather include rare scenarios than miss certain developments.
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the…, the…
The definite article can be repeated (the…, the…) to show that one action leads to another. (Swedish ju… desto…)
The more positive the potential energy, the stronger the convection is likely to become.
Another way of phrasing that is “When the potential energy is more positive, then the convection is likely to become stronger.”
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while / whereas
The conjuctions while and whereas mean nearly the same thing when used to contrast one thing to another thing.
In test A, a weak magnet was used, whereas/while in test B, a strong magnet was used.
Note that the word whereas cannot be used as a substitute for while if while indicates that two or more things are happening at the same time.
Test A was performed while test B was still being designed. (Test A happened before I finished designing test B.)
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