Schoolhouse Rock: Conjunction Junction
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Conjunctions are parts of speech that connect words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. The most common ones are “and,” “but,” and “or.” But, “because,” “so,” and “however” are also conjunctions.
In the Schoolhouse Rock animation short film called “Conjunction Junction,” an engineer’s job is to connect railroad cars that represent words, phrases, and clauses with the words “and,” “but,” and “or.”
This was one of my all-time top two favorite Grammar Rock songs. The other was “Interjections!” which will be the topic of the next Easy English article.
Watch and sing along with the lyrics provided below:
Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses.
Conjunction Junction, how’s that function?
I got three favorite cars
That get most of my job done.
Conjunction Junction, what’s their function?
I got “and”, “but”, and “or,”
They’ll get you pretty far.
“And:”
That’s an additive, like “this and that.”
“But:”
That’s sort of the opposite,
“Not this, but that.”
And then there’s “or:”
O-R, when you have a choice like
“This or that.”
“And”, “but”, and “or”
Get you pretty far.
Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up two boxcars and making ‘em run right.
Milk and honey, bread and butter, peas and rice.
Hey that’s nice!
Dirty but happy, digging and scratching,
Losing your shoe and a button or two.
He’s poor but honest, sad but true,
Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up two cars to one
When you say something like this choice:
“Either now or later.”
Or no choice:
“Neither now nor ever.”
Hey, that’s clever!
Eat this or that; grow thin or fat.
Never mind; I wouldn’t do that.
I’m fat enough now!
Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up phrases and clauses that balance, like:
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
He cut loose the sandbags,
But the balloon wouldn’t go any higher.
Let’s go up to the mountains,
Or down to the seas.
You should always say “thank you,”
Or at least say “please.”
Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses
In complex sentences like:
In the mornings, when I’m usually wide awake,
I love to take a walk through the gardens and down by the lake,
Where I often see a duck and a drake,
And I wonder, as I walk by, just what they’d say if they could speak,
Although I know that’s an absurd thought.
Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up cars and making ‘em function.
Conjunction Junction, how’s that function?
I like tying up words and phrases and clauses.
Conjunction Junction, watch that function.
I’m going to get you there if you’re very careful.
Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?
I’m going to get you there if you’re very careful.
Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?
I’m going to get you there if you’re very careful.
CONCLUSION
Here some slightly more difficult conjunctions and their correct uses:
[After/Before/When] you go, please call me.
[While/Since] you are still here, please help with the work.
[Until] you go, please help with the work.
[Although/While/Even though] you might not like the movie, I liked it a lot.
[If/Unless/Whether or not] you liked the movie, please share your thoughts.
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May 29th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
God I remember this. I was raised on schoolhouse rock!!! Thanks for the memories!!!
May 29th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Me, too!! I even went to a concent by the band that wrote and performed this song at the Troubadour a few years ago! I don’t know if it was the same guy who originally sang this song but it sure sounded like him. And, he was as big as the oversized hobo in this cartoon! (So, maybe it was him because of the line, “Never mind … I’m fat enough now!”) There were people selling “Conjunction Junction” and “I’m Just a Bill” tee shirts. Not your typical rock concert, but great fun anyhow!