We use the present simple to talk about things and situations that are generally true

What is a coordinate clause?

A coordinate clause is made when you connect two independent clauses that are of equal importance. These clauses are connected by coordinating conjunctions. The following are all coordinating conjunctions:
for;
and;
nor;
but;
or;
yet;
so.

We can make a compound sentence when one or more coordinate clauses are joined to the main clause.

Coordinate Clause Examples
To fully understand how a coordinate clause works, it's best to take a look at some examples. Here are some sentences which all include a coordinate clause:

She was going to the store for she had run out of bread.

I'm going to the park and I'm going to the cinema later.

I don't like carrots nor do I like cauliflower.

He wanted to go to the beach but it started raining.

You can feed the dog or you can wash the dishes.

They have homework to do yet they keep putting it off.

I'm feeling sick today so I'm going to see the doctor.

The most common coordinating conjunctions we use in our day-to-day language are 'and', 'but' and 'so.
Disconnected Coordinate Clauses
You might notice that some people begin their sentences with a coordinating conjunction. But is that really grammatically correct? It depends on who you ask.In spoken English, it's very common for someone to begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction. They might say something like this:

I love going to the beach. And I love swimming in the sea too.

When we're speaking, we might have another thought that connects to the one we've just spoken - but we've already finished saying the first sentence. So, we connect them by using a coordinating conjunction in the beginning of the next sentence. There's no way to go back and alter the first sentence since it's spoken, which is why we end up with disconnected coordinate clauses like these when we speak. Disconnected coordinate clauses are considered informal, so they're not used in formal texts. They're used in informal writing or in dialogue.
What is the difference between a coordinate and a subordinate clause?
Coordinate and subordinate clauses are both ways of combining sentences together, so it can be difficult to get the difference between them right. A good way to remember the difference between the two is to first think of the meaning of 'coordinate'. To coordinate means to work together on equal standing. A coordinate clause contains two sentences with equal importance. So, just remember that in a coordinate clause, the two sentences are working together as a team to make one coordinate clause. Even without the coordinating conjunction, both of the sentences would make sense individually.
On the other hand, the meaning of 'subordinate' means someone or something is under the authority of someone else. Unlike 'coordinate', they're not on equal standing. So, in a subordinate clause, one clause is more important than the other. One clause depends on the other clause to make sense and doesn't make sense on its own. For the subordinating clause to make sense, you have to connect it to the first clause using a subordinating conjunction.
Subordinate clauses also have a different set of conjunctions altogether from coordinate clauses. Instead of FANBOYS, it's I SAW A WABUB, which stands for:
if;
since;
as;
when;
although;
while;
after;
before;
until;
because.
To help illustrate the difference even further, here is a coordinate clause and a subordinate clause compared:

Coordinate Clause	Subordinate Clause
I'll finish my homework and I'll go to the park.	I'll go to the park after I finish my homework.

In the coordinate clause, both actions are happening at some time in the future, but it's not specified which order they'll happen in. 'I'll finish my homework' and 'I'll go to the park' also both make complete grammatical sense independently.
In the subordinate clause, the subordinating conjunction 'after' tells us the order that the actions will happen. The speaker will finish their homework first and go to the park second. Plus, only the clause, 'I'll go to the park', is an independent clause that makes sense on its own. The clause, 'after I finish my homework', depends on the main clause to make sense and has to be connected.
As you can see, the two clauses are similar but they have distinct differences!
How can I teach children about coordinate clauses?
If you're planning a lesson about coordinate clauses, then you'll be glad to know that Twinkle has plenty of resources to help you do just that. They're all bright and colorful to engage children's minds and quick and easy to download so that you can save time. You can enrich your lessons and refocus your energy at the same time. Take a look at the resources below and your pupils will master coordinate clauses in no time.
Coordinating Conjunctions FANBOYS Differentiated Activity Sheets - These activity sheets challenge children to fill in the blanks and add in the most appropriate coordinating conjunction to sentences. This is a great way to test their knowledge of the topic. (Oh, and it includes the answer sheet, so marking's easy for you too).
- Who doesn't love a quiz? Test the whole class on their knowledge of how to use 'and', 'but' and 'so' as coordinating conjunctions in a sentence.
Identifying Subordinating and Coordinating Conjunctions Activity Sheets - With this activity, children should underline the conjunction in each of the sentences. You can also choose the version which bests suits your pupils' current skill level - one version simply asks them to underline the conjunction, while the other asks them to note down whether it's a subordinating or coordinating conjunction.

3.3 A Quick Guide to Punctuation

Punctuation is the tool that allows us to organize our thoughts and make it easier to review and share our ideas. The standard English punctuation is as follows: period, comma, apostrophe, quotation, question, exclamation, brackets, braces, parenthesis, dash, hyphen, ellipsis, colon, semicolon. Below is an explanation of some punctuation that is commonly misused.

Comma ,

Commas are primarily used to aid in clarity and to join two independent clauses with a conjunction. They set off introductory phrases and set off series. They also are used to separate independent and dependent clauses. The Oxford comma is the inclusion of a comma before coordinating conjunction in a series.