Learning a new language involves mastering a variety of grammatical concepts, one of which is the use of subordinating conjunctions. These small but mighty words play a crucial role in connecting ideas and adding depth to your sentences. They help to create complex sentences by joining an independent clause with a dependent clause. In this article, we will explore what subordinating conjunctions are, how they function, and provide examples to help you understand and use them effectively in your writing and speech.
What are Subordinating Conjunctions?
Subordinating conjunctions are words that connect an independent clause (a complete sentence) with a dependent clause (a group of words that cannot stand alone as a sentence). By doing this, they add more information to the main clause and show a relationship between the two clauses.
Some common subordinating conjunctions include: although, because, since, unless, until, while, if, as, after, before, though, and when.
Types of Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions can be categorized based on the type of relationship they establish between the clauses. Here are some common categories:
1. **Cause and Effect:**
– **Because:** “She stayed home because she was sick.”
– **Since:** “Since he didn’t study, he failed the exam.”
– **As:** “As it was raining, we decided to cancel the picnic.”
2. **Time:**
– **After:** “We will go out after the meeting ends.”
– **Before:** “Finish your homework before you go out to play.”
– **Until:** “Wait here until I come back.”
– **When:** “Call me when you arrive.”
3. **Condition:**
– **If:** “If it rains, we will stay indoors.”
– **Unless:** “You can’t leave unless you finish your work.”
4. **Contrast:**
– **Although/Though:** “Although it was cold, we went for a walk.”
– **Even though:** “She smiled even though she was nervous.”
5. **Purpose:**
– **So that:** “He left early so that he could catch the train.”
6. **Manner:**
– **As if:** “He behaves as if he owns the place.”
How Subordinating Conjunctions Work
To understand how subordinating conjunctions work, it’s important to grasp the difference between independent and dependent clauses.
– **Independent Clause:** This is a complete sentence that can stand alone. For example, “I went to the store.”
– **Dependent Clause:** This is a group of words that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. For example, “because I needed milk.”
When you combine these two clauses with a subordinating conjunction, you get a complex sentence: “I went to the store because I needed milk.”
Notice that the dependent clause “because I needed milk” cannot stand alone. It needs the independent clause “I went to the store” to form a complete idea.
Position of Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions can appear at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. When the dependent clause comes first, it is usually followed by a comma. When the independent clause comes first, a comma is usually not necessary.
– **Dependent clause first:** “Because I needed milk, I went to the store.”
– **Independent clause first:** “I went to the store because I needed milk.”
Examples and Practice
Let’s look at some more examples to better understand how subordinating conjunctions work in sentences:
1. **Although**: “Although he was tired, he finished his homework.”
– Independent clause: “He finished his homework.”
– Dependent clause: “Although he was tired.”
2. **Since**: “Since it was late, we decided to go home.”
– Independent clause: “We decided to go home.”
– Dependent clause: “Since it was late.”
3. **If**: “If you need help, just ask.”
– Independent clause: “Just ask.”
– Dependent clause: “If you need help.”
4. **While**: “She read a book while waiting for the bus.”
– Independent clause: “She read a book.”
– Dependent clause: “while waiting for the bus.”
5. **After**: “After they finished dinner, they watched a movie.”
– Independent clause: “They watched a movie.”
– Dependent clause: “After they finished dinner.”
To practice, try creating your own sentences using subordinating conjunctions. Here are a few prompts:
– Because (reason)
– When (time)
– If (condition)
– Although (contrast)
– Until (time)
Write sentences for each prompt, ensuring you combine an independent clause with a dependent clause using the subordinating conjunction.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When using subordinating conjunctions, learners often make a few common mistakes. Here are some of them and tips on how to avoid them:
1. **Comma Misuse**:
– Incorrect: “Because I was late I missed the bus.”
– Correct: “Because I was late, I missed the bus.”
– Tip: When the dependent clause comes first, use a comma to separate it from the independent clause.
2. **Fragment Sentences**:
– Incorrect: “Although it was raining.”
– Correct: “Although it was raining, we went for a walk.”
– Tip: Ensure that your sentence includes both an independent and a dependent clause.
3. **Incorrect Conjunction**:
– Incorrect: “He went home so he was tired.”
– Correct: “He went home because he was tired.”
– Tip: Choose the correct subordinating conjunction to show the right relationship between clauses.
Advanced Usage of Subordinating Conjunctions
Once you’re comfortable with basic subordinating conjunctions, you can explore more advanced uses and variations. Here are a few:
Correlative Subordinating Conjunctions
These are pairs of conjunctions that work together to join clauses. Examples include:
– **Not only… but also**: “Not only did she finish her homework, but she also cleaned her room.”
– **Whether… or**: “He wasn’t sure whether he should go to the party or stay home.”
Complex Sentences with Multiple Subordinating Conjunctions
Sometimes, sentences can have more than one subordinating conjunction, creating a more intricate structure. For example:
– “Although it was raining, we went for a walk because we needed some fresh air.”
In this sentence, “Although” and “because” are both subordinating conjunctions that create a complex relationship between the clauses.
Elliptical Clauses
In some cases, part of the clause is implied and not explicitly stated. This is known as an elliptical clause. For example:
– “She can sing better than I [can].”
Here, the verb “can” is implied in the second clause.
Conclusion
Subordinating conjunctions are essential tools in English that help you create complex sentences, add depth to your writing, and show relationships between ideas. By understanding and practicing their use, you can enhance your language skills and communicate more effectively.
Remember, the key to mastering subordinating conjunctions is practice. Pay attention to how they are used in reading materials, try writing your own sentences, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. With time and effort, you’ll find that using subordinating conjunctions becomes second nature.
Happy learning!
