NOUNS
Co-ordinate conjunctions may connect two or more nouns used as the subject of a verb. As:
- Death and disaster follow in the wake of war.
In this sentence, death is just as much the subject of the verb follow as is the word disaster, but no more so. You can omit either of these words and the other will make a subject for the sentence. They are both of equal importance, both of the same rank in the sentence, and neither depends upon the other. These two words taken together form the subject of the sentence. This is called the compound subject, for it consists of two simple subjects.
Co-ordinate conjunctions may connect two or more nouns used as the object of a verb.
- He studies history and science.
In this sentence the words history and science are both used as objects of the verb studies.
Co-ordinate conjunctions may connect two or more nouns used as the object of a preposition.
- He called for the letters and the papers.
In this sentence letters and papers are both objects of the preposition for, connected by the co-ordinate conjunction and.