We have already learned that coordinating conjunctions can be used to combine two or more clauses together. They can also be used to combine other sentence elements such as subjects, verbs, objects etc. When we use a coordinating conjunction to combine two such sentence elements, no comma is required.

Study the example sentences given below.

• Jack went up the hill. Jill went up the hill.
• Jack and Jill went up the hill. (NOT Jack, and Jill went up the hill.)
• The minister visited the riot-affected area. His aides visited the riot-affected area.
• The minister and his aides visited the riot-affected area.

When the objects are parallel, they can also be combined together.

• I believe that the new shopping mall will change the face of the locality. I also believe that it will create jobs.

As you can see, the objects are parallel in structure. I believe this and that.

In this case, we can compound the objects.

• I believe that the new shopping mall will change the face of the locality and that it will create jobs. (OR I believe that the new shopping mall will change the face of the locality and create jobs.)
• He said that he wouldn’t surrender. He also said that he would fight to the finish.
• He said that he wouldn’t surrender and that he would fight to the finish.

When the subject is doing two things at once, ideas can sometimes be combined by compounding verbs.

• He worked at a store in the morning. He attended school in the afternoon.
• He worked at a store in the morning and attended school in the afternoon.
• She teaches English at a private school. She writes articles for a magazine.
• She teaches English at a private school and writes articles for a magazine.

Modifiers such as prepositional phrases can also be compounded.