Which term best describes the word group that links two independent clauses with a relationship such as cause and effect or contrast?

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Multiple Choice

Which term best describes the word group that links two independent clauses with a relationship such as cause and effect or contrast?

Coordinating conjunctions are the word group that links two independent clauses and shows their relationship, such as cause and effect or contrast. They connect two complete thoughts into one sentence, as in “The game was delayed, so we rescheduled.” Here, the joining word signals a cause-and-effect relationship, which is exactly the kind of link described. The other options miss this broad function: an antecedent is the noun a pronoun refers to, a gerund is a verb form acting as a noun, and correlative conjunctions are paired words (like not only... but also) that connect elements but don’t define the general class of connectors used to join two independent clauses. So the best term is coordinating conjunctions.

Coordinating conjunctions are the word group that links two independent clauses and shows their relationship, such as cause and effect or contrast. They connect two complete thoughts into one sentence, as in “The game was delayed, so we rescheduled.” Here, the joining word signals a cause-and-effect relationship, which is exactly the kind of link described. The other options miss this broad function: an antecedent is the noun a pronoun refers to, a gerund is a verb form acting as a noun, and correlative conjunctions are paired words (like not only... but also) that connect elements but don’t define the general class of connectors used to join two independent clauses. So the best term is coordinating conjunctions.

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