Identifying conjunctions that link words, phrases or clauses; identifying prepositions that head relationship phrases; and choosing the form whose grammar and meaning both fit a sentence.
Where your child meets this in real life: Linking ideas clearly and expressing precise relationships of place, direction, time, reason, result, choice and contrast
Grammar is questions 6 to 10 of the English section in each SEAG paper. They are multiple choice, such as choosing the word that correctly completes a sentence.
SEAGReady breaks conjunctions and prepositions into 3 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Identify conjunctions by locating the words, phrases or clauses they link and checking the relationship they express, including addition, choice, contrast, reason and result.
Identify prepositions that head phrases expressing relationships such as place, direction or time, and distinguish them from the noun phrase, verb or conjunction nearby.
Choose the conjunction or preposition that fits both the grammatical structure around a gap and the intended relationship, including place, time, reason, result, choice and contrast.
Try three free questions from our conjunctions and prepositions course. They start easy and get harder, so you can see where your child's confidence runs out. If they manage the last one without a hint, this topic is probably secure. If not, the steps above show where to start.
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
Complete the statement about this sentence: ‘The lights dimmed, but the audience remained quiet.’ The options are lights, dimmed, but, audience and quiet.
The conjunction is which word?
The first clause says that the lights dimmed. The second says that the audience remained quiet.
Step 1 of 4
Complete the statement about this sentence: ‘The lights dimmed, but the audience remained quiet.’ The options are lights, dimmed, but, audience and quiet.
The conjunction is which word?
‘But’ is the conjunction because it links the two clauses and expresses their contrast.
The key insight: Identify what is being linked and then check the relationship. A conjunction may join words, phrases or clauses, so its exact job depends on the sentence.
Common mix-up: Choosing ‘dimmed’ because it connects the subject to what happened. ‘Dimmed’ is the verb inside the first clause. ‘But’ is the separate word linking that whole clause to the next one.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in conjunctions and prepositions, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Struggling with conjunctions and prepositions? The real gap is often in one of these earlier topics.
Sitting the SEAG test this November? Read our last-month revision plan, Paper 1 vs Paper 2 and test day guide.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.
Free to start · no card needed