What are Subordinate Conjunctions? A Complete Guide
Subordinate conjunctions are essential to creating complex, interesting, and meaningful sentences in the English language. By connecting ideas and showing relationships between them, they elevate the clarity and variety of your writing. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into subordinate conjunctions, their types, and how they work in sentences to improve your communication skills.
What are Subordinate Conjunctions?
Subordinate conjunctions are words or phrases that connect a dependent clause to an independent clause in a sentence. A dependent clause, also called a subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It relies on the independent clause to form a complete thought. Subordinate conjunctions provide context, often indicating time, cause, condition, contrast, or purpose.
Why Are Subordinate Conjunctions Important?
Without subordinate conjunctions, you would be limited to short, simple sentences. Subordinate conjunctions allow you to combine ideas, show relationships between events, and add complexity to your writing. For example:
Simple sentence: “I was late.”
Complex sentence: “Because I was late, I missed the meeting.”
The latter sentence provides more information and shows the relationship between the events—thanks to the subordinate conjunction “because.”
Types of Subordinate Conjunctions
Subordinate conjunctions come in various types, each serving a different purpose in linking ideas. Let’s explore the most common categories.
Time
Subordinate conjunctions of time introduce relationships that indicate when something happens in relation to another event. They answer questions like “when?” or “how long?”
Examples: when, while, after, before, until
Example sentence: “We will wait until she arrives.”
In this sentence, “until” is the subordinate conjunction that connects the dependent clause “until she arrives” to the independent clause “We will wait,” establishing a time-based relationship.
Cause and Effect
These subordinate conjunctions show a causal link between two clauses. They explain why something happens or the effect of an action.
Examples: because, since, as
Example sentence: “She went home because she wasn’t feeling well.”
The subordinate conjunction “because” explains the reason for her going home. It connects the dependent clause “because she wasn’t feeling well” with the independent clause “She went home.”
Condition
Condition-based subordinate conjunctions introduce clauses that describe circumstances under which the main clause can happen. They express a condition that must be fulfilled for something to occur.
Examples: if, unless, as long as, provided that
Example sentence: “I’ll go if you come with me.”
The subordinate conjunction “if” links the condition (“if you come with me”) with the main action (“I’ll go”).
Contrast/Concession
Contrast or concession subordinate conjunctions show how two ideas or events oppose each other or contrast in some way. These conjunctions often reflect unexpected or contradictory outcomes.
Examples: although, though, even though, whereas
Example sentence: “Although it was raining, they went hiking.”
In this sentence, “although” shows the contrast between the expectation (it was raining) and the outcome (they went hiking anyway).
Purpose or Reason
Purpose subordinate conjunctions show the intent or reason behind an action. They explain the “why” of the main action.
Examples: so that, in order that
Example sentence: “She studied hard so that she could pass the exam.”
Here, the subordinate conjunction “so that” introduces the reason behind her action of studying hard.
III. Structure of Sentences Using Subordinate Conjunctions
Understanding the sentence structure when using subordinate conjunctions is key to writing coherent and grammatically correct sentences.
Dependent Clause vs. Independent Clause
A dependent clause relies on the main clause to make sense. It usually starts with a subordinate conjunction and doesn’t form a complete thought on its own. In contrast, an independent clause is a complete sentence that can stand alone. Subordinate conjunctions bridge the gap between the two.
Example:
“Because it was late, we decided to go home.”
Dependent clause: “Because it was late” (not a complete thought)
Independent clause: “we decided to go home” (complete thought)
The subordinate conjunction “because” connects the cause (why we decided to go home) to the main action.
Positioning of Subordinate Clauses
One of the great things about subordinate clauses is that they can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. The placement can change the flow of the sentence, but the meaning remains the same.
Beginning: “Although he was tired, he kept working.”
End: “He kept working although he was tired.”
The positioning of the dependent clause doesn’t change the meaning, but it can affect the emphasis of the sentence.
Common Mistakes with Subordinate Conjunctions
Even though subordinate conjunctions enhance sentence variety, they can sometimes lead to errors if used incorrectly. Let’s look at some common pitfalls.
Comma Usage
When the subordinate clause appears at the beginning of the sentence, a comma is usually needed after it. However, if the dependent clause comes after the independent clause, a comma is typically not necessary.
Example: “If it rains, we will cancel the picnic.”
No comma needed: “We will cancel the picnic if it rains.”
Fragment Sentences
A common mistake is writing an incomplete sentence with only a dependent clause. Since dependent clauses can’t stand alone, doing this results in a sentence fragment.
Incorrect: “Because I was late.” (This is an incomplete thought.)
Correct: “Because I was late, I missed the meeting.”
Always pair a dependent clause with an independent clause to avoid fragments.
Examples and Practice
Now that you understand subordinate conjunctions, let’s look at more examples to see them in action:
Time: “After she finished her homework, she went to bed.”
Cause and Effect: “I’m not going outside because it’s raining.”
Condition: “I’ll help you if you ask nicely.”
Contrast: “Even though he was nervous, he gave an excellent speech.”
Purpose: “She moved closer so that she could hear him better.”
Practice Exercise: Try identifying the subordinate conjunctions in the sentences above. Then, rewrite simple sentences by combining them with a subordinate conjunction to create a more complex sentence.
For example:
Simple: “I was tired. I went to bed early.”
Complex: “Because I was tired, I went to bed early.”
Conclusion
In summary, subordinate conjunctions play a critical role in creating complex and meaningful sentences. They allow us to show relationships between ideas, such as time, cause, contrast, and condition. Whether you’re writing a story, crafting an essay, or improving your daily communication, mastering subordinate conjunctions will help you convey clearer and more engaging thoughts. The more you practice using them, the more natural they’ll become in your writing.
FAQs: Subordinate Conjunctions
- What are subordinate conjunctions?
Subordinate conjunctions are words or phrases that link a dependent (subordinate) clause to an independent clause in a sentence. They help show the relationship between the two clauses, such as time, cause and effect, condition, or contrast.
- What is the purpose of subordinate conjunctions?
The purpose of subordinate conjunctions is to connect ideas in a sentence and clarify relationships between them. They allow writers and speakers to create complex sentences that convey more detailed and nuanced information.
- What are some examples of subordinate conjunctions?
Common examples of subordinate conjunctions include:
- Time: when, after, before, while, until
- Cause: because, since, as
- Condition: if, unless, provided that
- Contrast: although, even though, whereas
- Purpose: so that, in order that
- How do subordinate conjunctions affect sentence structure?
Subordinate conjunctions introduce dependent clauses, which cannot stand alone as complete sentences. These clauses are connected to independent clauses, creating a complex sentence. Subordinate conjunctions can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.
- Do you need a comma before a subordinate conjunction?
If the dependent clause (introduced by a subordinate conjunction) comes before the independent clause, a comma is usually placed after the dependent clause.
Example: “If it rains, we will cancel the picnic.”
If the independent clause comes first, no comma is needed.
Example: “We will cancel the picnic if it rains.”
- What is the difference between subordinate conjunctions and coordinating conjunctions?
Subordinate conjunctions link a dependent clause to an independent clause, forming complex sentences. In contrast, coordinating conjunctions (such as “and,” “but,” and “or”) join two independent clauses or elements of equal importance to form compound sentences.
- Can you start a sentence with a subordinate conjunction?
Yes, you can start a sentence with a subordinate conjunction. When the sentence starts with a dependent clause introduced by a subordinate conjunction, it is typically followed by a comma and the independent clause.
Example: “Because she was tired, she went to bed early.”
- What are common mistakes when using subordinate conjunctions?
Two common mistakes are:
- Sentence fragments: Writing only the dependent clause without an independent clause.
Incorrect: “Because it was raining.”
Correct: “Because it was raining, we stayed inside.” - Comma misuse: Forgetting to place a comma when the dependent clause comes before the independent clause.
- Why are subordinate conjunctions important in writing?
Subordinate conjunctions are crucial for creating sentence variety and clarity in writing. They allow you to express complex relationships between ideas, making your writing more engaging and informative.
- How can I improve my use of subordinate conjunctions in writing?
To improve your use of subordinate conjunctions:
- Practice identifying them in sentences and noticing how they link clauses.
- Experiment with writing complex sentences using different types of subordinate conjunctions to express time, cause, condition, or contrast.
- Read widely to see how professional writers use subordinate conjunctions to enhance their writing.