{"id":4936,"date":"2021-06-02T06:00:49","date_gmt":"2021-06-02T11:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/?p=4936"},"modified":"2021-06-02T17:18:34","modified_gmt":"2021-06-02T22:18:34","slug":"subordinate-clauses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/clauses-sentences\/subordinate-clauses\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Subordinate Clauses?"},"content":{"rendered":"

English has two kinds of clauses<\/a>: subordinate (or dependent) and independent. The difference between them is that an independent clause can stand alone and a dependent one cannot. A subordinate clause by itself is a sentence fragment.<\/p>\n

Complete stand-alone sentence:<\/strong>\u00a0I want the ice cream that is made with soy instead of milk and cream.<\/p>\n

Independent clause: <\/strong>I want the ice cream<\/p>\n

Subordinate clause<\/strong>: that is made with soy instead of milk and cream<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The subordinate clause depends on the independent clause to finish its meaning. The independent clause does not need the subordinate clause to properly function; rather, it benefits from the extra information that the subordinate clause provides.<\/p>\n

Signals of Subordinate Clauses<\/h2>\n

Consider the following sentences and notice what they share in common:<\/p>\n

Since<\/em> I started exercising, I have noticed that I’ve been sleeping better at night.<\/p>\n

Joanne is the mayor who<\/em> can get things done for the best of the city.<\/p>\n

Wherever <\/em>Joseph decides to put that old rake is okay with me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Each sentence includes a word that serves as a signal that a dependent thought is being expressed. The word is either a relative pronoun or a subordinating conjunction, and it subordinates the clause it is in.<\/p>\n

From there, we can examine whether each subordinate clause is serving as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Let’s look at the same sentences again to determine how the subordinate clauses are functioning.<\/p>\n

Since I started exercising<\/em>, I have noticed that I’ve been sleeping better at night.<\/p>\n

Joanne is the mayor who can get things done for the best of the city.<\/em><\/p>\n

Wherever Joseph decides to put that old rake<\/em> is okay with me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the first sentence, since I started exercising<\/em> modifies the verb phrase, have noticed<\/em>, to describe the timing of the action. This makes the subordinate clause an adverb.<\/p>\n

In the second sentence, who can get things done for the best of the city<\/em> modifies mayor<\/em> by further describing the noun. This makes the subordinate clause an adjective.<\/p>\n

In the last sentence, the entire dependent clause wherever Joseph decides to put that old rake<\/em> acts as the sentence subject. This makes the subordinate clause a noun.<\/p>\n

The following table includes common signals of subordination. When you read or write them, be aware of their potential presence and function within a subordinate clause.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Relative Pronouns<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nSubordinating Conjunctions<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
that<\/td>\nwhoever<\/td>\n<\/td>\nafter<\/td>\nas though<\/td>\nin order that<\/td>\nthough<\/td>\nwhenever<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
what<\/td>\nwhom<\/td>\n<\/td>\nalthough<\/td>\nbecause<\/td>\nsince<\/td>\nunless<\/td>\nwhere<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
which<\/td>\nwhomever<\/td>\n<\/td>\nas<\/td>\nbefore<\/td>\nso that<\/td>\nuntil<\/td>\nwherever<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
who<\/td>\nwhose<\/td>\n<\/td>\nas if<\/td>\nif<\/td>\nthat<\/td>\nwhen<\/td>\nwhile<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Subordinate Clauses: More Examples<\/h2>\n

To further solidify our understanding of what subordinate clauses are, we’ll review a few more ways of how they operate in writing.<\/p>\n

Subordinate Clauses as Nouns<\/em><\/p>\n

I am unsure of when they will arrive<\/u>. (object of a preposition)<\/p>\n

Do you know when they will arrive<\/u>? (direct object)<\/p>\n

That they will arrive<\/u> is certain. (subject)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Subordinate Clauses as Adjectives<\/em><\/p>\n

Walter is a man who tries to live a virtuous life<\/u>. (describes man<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Walter is a man whom we have always looked up to<\/u>. (describes man<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Walter has always been someone whose virtues I admire<\/u>. (describes someone<\/em>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Subordinate Clauses as Adverbs <\/em>(*each sentence describes the timing of the action)<\/p>\n

We will clean up after the guests leave<\/u>.<\/p>\n

When the guests leave<\/u>, we will clean up.<\/p>\n

We will clean up whenever the guests leave<\/u>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Related Topics<\/h3>\n

Dependent and Independent Clauses<\/a>
\nClauses and Phrases<\/a>
\nWho, That, Which<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Pop Quiz<\/h2>\n

Now that you understand what subordinate clauses are, identify the subordinate clause in each sentence.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

1. Sheila said that she loves your gift of flowers.<\/p>\n

2. The judges are still deciding if Team Kryptonite should receive the award.<\/p>\n

3. Because they are so kind to all, the Ruizes have many friends.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

4. That is an issue which can be easily resolved.<\/p>\n

5. The gymnasts who have the best routine this round will advance to the semifinals.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pop Quiz Answers<\/h3>\n

1. Sheila said that she loves your gift of flowers.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

2. The judges are still deciding if Team Kryptonite should receive the award.<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. Because they are so kind to all,<\/strong> the Ruizes have many friends.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

4. That is an issue which can be easily resolved.<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. The gymnasts who have the best routine this round<\/strong> will advance to the semifinals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

English has two kinds of clauses: subordinate (or dependent) and independent. The difference between them is that an independent clause can stand alone and a dependent one cannot. A subordinate clause by itself is a sentence fragment. Complete stand-alone sentence:\u00a0I want the ice cream that is made with soy instead of milk and cream. Independent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[74],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-clauses-sentences"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4936"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4936"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4936\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4957,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4936\/revisions\/4957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4936"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4936"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4936"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}