Chapter 02: Subordination

Where coordination joins "equals," subordination joins "non-equals." We will be working with subordinate clauses (also called dependent clauses).

REVIEW:

A clause has a subject (which may or may not be stated) and a verb (or verb phrase).

EXAMPLE: Sit! (The subject – you – is implied; the verb is sit.) 

An independent clause is a complete sentence. It can "stand on its own":

EXAMPLE: Rex barked. (The subject is Rex; the verb is barked.)

A subordinate clause also has a subject (which may or may not be stated) and a verb, but it cannot stand on its own:

as Rex barked (The subject is Rex; the verb is barked; the word as makes the clause subordinate. It cannot stand on its own.)

Subordinate clauses “depend upon” an independent clause. In college writing, a subordinate clause must be attached to an independent clause:

The cat hissed as Rex barked

NOT: The cat hissed. As Rex barked.

"The cat hissed" can stand on its own as a complete sentence.

Most (though not all) subordinate clauses begin with a subordinator. Among the most common: that, whether, if, after, before, since, till, until, although, because, provided, though, unless, if, that, whether, along with the relative pronouns who, that, which, whom, where, when, what, why, whose, of which.

Subordination, like coordination, creates economy and flow—that is, subordination eliminates unnecessary words and creates smoother sentences as well as smoother connections between sentences. Subordination can also be used to tell readers which idea is most important (usually the idea in the main clause) and which idea(s) are less important (usually, though not always, those in the subordinate clause).

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