Conjunction Rules for SSC: Quick Answer
Conjunction errors in SSC papers are mostly about wrong pairs (no sooner… than, hardly… when, not only… but also), double conjunctions (although… but), negative words used twice (unless… not, lest… not) and parallel structure after either/neither/both. These appear inside Spot the Error, Fill in the Blanks, Improvement of Sentences and Cloze Passage, all listed in the English syllabus of the SSC CGL 2026 and SSC CHSL 2026 notices.
Exam context (as of 7 November 2026): SSC CHSL Tier 1 runs 30 November–31 December 2026 (SSC notice dated 01.10.2026) and SSC CGL Tier 2 is tentatively in December 2026 (CGL 2026 notice). The 20 rules below cover almost every conjunction error SSC repeats.
Related grammar: Preposition rules for SSC, Subject-verb agreement rules, Articles: a, an, the.
Part 1: Correlative Pairs (Fixed Partners)
| Rule | Correct pair | Example | Common error |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | no sooner … than | No sooner had he arrived than it rained. | |
| 2 | hardly / scarcely … when | Hardly had I sat down when the bell rang. | |
| 3 | not only … but also | She is not only clever but also hard-working. | |
| 4 | either … or; neither … nor | Neither he nor his friends came. | |
| 5 | both … and | Both Ravi and Meena passed. | |
| 6 | whether … or | I don't know whether he will come or not. | |
| 7 | so … that (result) | He was so tired that he slept early. | |
| 8 | such … as (with a noun, meaning "the kind that") | Such books as these are rare. | |
| 9 | as … as (positive); so … as (negative) | He is not so tall as his brother. | |
| 10 | though/although … yet (optional), never but | Although he is rich, (yet) he is unhappy. |
Inversion tip: with no sooner, hardly, scarcely at the start, the helping verb comes before the subject: No sooner had he left…, not No sooner he had left….
Part 2: Conjunctions That Are Already Negative
| Rule | Correct | Common error |
|---|---|---|
| 11. unless = if not; do not add not | Unless you work hard, you will fail. | |
| 12. until = up to the time; do not add not | Wait until I return. | |
| 13. lest takes should, never not | Walk carefully lest you should fall. | |
| 14. till is for time, unless is for condition | You can't pass unless you study. |
Part 3: Usage and Parallel Structure
- Parallel structure: the words after each part of a pair must be the same grammatical type.
He not only plays cricket but also football.→ He plays not only cricket but also football.
- "Because" and "the reason is" do not go together: use the reason is that.
The reason he failed is because he was ill.→ The reason he failed is that he was ill.
- "Since" for reason, not "since… so":
Since he was late, so he missed the bus.→ Since he was late, he missed the bus.
- "As if / as though" with unreal situations takes the past (were):
- He talks as if he were the manager.
"Whether", not "if", after a preposition or directly before "or not": It depends on whether he agrees. I will go whether or not it rains.
"Than" after "rather", "other" and comparatives; "to" after "prefer":
- I would rather walk than wait. He has no other choice than to resign. (Compare: I prefer walking to waiting.)
15 Solved Error-Spotting Questions
Find the part with the error; if none, choose "No error".
Q1. No sooner did the teacher enter (a) / when the students stood up (b) / to greet her. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). No sooner… than.
Q2. Hardly had we reached the station (a) / than the train (b) / started moving. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). Hardly… when.
Q3. Although he worked very hard, (a) / but he could not (b) / clear the exam. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). Remove but; use yet or nothing.
Q4. Unless you do not submit the form (a) / before Friday, (b) / your application will be rejected. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (a). Unless you submit the form.
Q5. Neither the manager (a) / or his assistant (b) / was present at the meeting. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). neither… nor.
Q6. She is not only a good dancer (a) / as well as (b) / a talented singer. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). not only… but also.
Q7. Run fast (a) / lest you may not (b) / miss the bus. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). lest you should miss the bus.
Q8. The reason why he was absent (a) / is because (b) / he was unwell. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). is that.
Q9. Since it was raining heavily, (a) / so the match (b) / was called off. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). Remove so.
Q10. Wait here (a) / until I do not (b) / come back. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). until I come back.
Q11. He not only lost (a) / his wallet but also (b) / his phone at the station. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (a). Parallel structure: He lost not only his wallet but also his phone.
Q12. Both the officer (a) / as well as the clerk (b) / were suspended. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). Both… and.
Q13. I would rather (a) / resign (b) / than accept this offer. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (d). Rather… than is correct.
Q14. He behaves (a) / as if he was (b) / the owner of the company. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). as if he were (unreal situation).
Q15. He was so weak (a) / but he could not (b) / walk without help. (c) / No error (d) Answer: (b). so… that he could not walk.
Answer Key
| Q | Ans | Q | Ans | Q | Ans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | b | 6 | b | 11 | a |
| 2 | b | 7 | b | 12 | b |
| 3 | b | 8 | b | 13 | d |
| 4 | a | 9 | b | 14 | b |
| 5 | b | 10 | b | 15 | b |
Quick Revision: The Pairs on One Line
no sooner–than · hardly/scarcely–when · not only–but also · either–or · neither–nor · both–and · whether–or · so–that · such–as · although–(yet) · lest–should · unless/until (no not) · rather–than · prefer–to.
Practise Under Time
- SSC CHSL English sectional mock 01, SSC CHSL English mini mock 01
- SSC CGL Tier 1 similar paper, 13 Sep 2025 shift 2 (English)
- Bank exams: Error spotting rules for bank exams, Cloze test tricks
Conjunction Rules FAQs
Is "no sooner… than" or "no sooner… when" correct?
No sooner… than is correct. When goes with hardly and scarcely.
Can "although" and "but" be used together?
No. Use although… yet (yet is optional) or use but alone: "He is rich but unhappy."
Why is "unless… not" wrong?
Unless already means if not, so adding not makes a double negative. The same applies to until and lest.
What follows "lest"?
Should + base verb: "Hurry lest you should be late." Do not use not or may not after lest.
Where do conjunction questions appear in SSC exams?
In spot the error, fill in the blanks, sentence improvement and cloze passages, all part of the English syllabus in the SSC CGL and CHSL 2026 notices.
Practice Next for SSC English
- Grammar: Active and passive voice rules, Direct and indirect speech rules
- Plans: SSC CHSL preparation strategy 2026, SSC CGL Tier 2 preparation strategy 2026
Sources: SSC CGL 2026 notice (English syllabus para 13.11.3); SSC CHSL 2026 notice (para 13.10.1); SSC notice dated 01.10.2026. Rules and questions are BookOfExams teaching material. Last checked 7 November 2026.