A single sentence can assert more than a single proposition. The easiest way of combining propositions within a single sentence is to use a conjunction.

Many conjunctions assert a specific relationship between propositions.

Conjunctions like "because," "whenever," and "so that" assert a relationship of dependence.

Conjunctions like "after," "before," "since," "when," "while," and "where" assert a relationship of time or place.

Conjunctions like "but," "although," and "even though" assert a relationship of contrast or seeming opposition.

In all these cases, the conjunction combines component propositions into a statement in which all components are being asserted as true.

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Comprehension Questions

1.	Does the following sentence assert a single proposition or more than one proposition? Information about DNA, RNA, and the proteins found in different species can be compared to establish taxonomic relationships.
	a)	it asserts a single proposition
	b)	it asserts more than one proposition
2.	Does the following sentence assert a single proposition or more than one proposition? Chemoautotrophs are organisms that oxidize inorganic chemicals in order to obtain the energy they need to drive their food-making reactions.
	a)	it asserts a single proposition
	b)	it asserts more than one proposition

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Relative Clauses

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© Copyright 1998, W.W. Norton & Co.