{"id":5392,"date":"2021-08-25T06:00:57","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T11:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/?p=5392"},"modified":"2021-08-23T12:16:21","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T17:16:21","slug":"subordinating-conjunctions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/clauses-sentences\/subordinating-conjunctions\/","title":{"rendered":"Subordinating Conjunctions"},"content":{"rendered":"

A subordinating conjunction is a word or a phrase that begins and therefore introduces a dependent (subordinate<\/a>) clause. The subordinate conjunction marks how the dependent clause will modify the independent clause with information such as manner, place, time, contrast, cause, or a condition.<\/p>\n

Some common subordinating conjunctions include:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
after<\/td>\nexcept that<\/td>\nthat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
although<\/td>\nif<\/td>\nthough<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
as<\/td>\nin case<\/td>\nunless<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
as if<\/td>\nin that<\/td>\nuntil<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
as though<\/td>\nnow that<\/td>\nwhen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
because<\/td>\nonce<\/td>\nwhenever<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
before<\/td>\nsince<\/td>\nwhere<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
even though<\/td>\nso that<\/td>\nwhile<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Clauses made dependent by a subordinating conjunction typically function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb in a sentence.<\/p>\n

Noun: <\/strong>Right now I can’t say when<\/u><\/em> we’ll be back from the opera<\/u>. (The subordinating conjunction is when<\/em>; the dependent clause when we’ll be back from the opera <\/em>is the direct object of the sentence.)<\/p>\n

Adjective: <\/strong>You will open the door that<\/u><\/em> the audience chooses to reveal the prize<\/u>. (The subordinating conjunction is that; <\/em>the dependent clause that the audience chooses to reveal the prize<\/em> modifies the noun door<\/em>.)<\/p>\n

Adverb: <\/strong>The roads cannot be opened until<\/u><\/em> the snow is plowed from them<\/u>. (The subordinating conjunction is until<\/em>; the dependent clause until the snow is plowed from them<\/em> modifies the verb phrase cannot be opened.<\/em>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Subordinating Conjunctions: Information Provided<\/h2>\n

As we mentioned, a subordinating conjunction signals a dependent clause that modifies a sentence with information such as manner, place, time, contrast, cause, or a condition. Let’s look at examples of such subordinating conjunctions in action.<\/p>\n

Manner: <\/strong>You’re eating as if<\/u><\/em> this is the last time you’ll ever see a steak<\/u>. (The subordinating conjunction is as if<\/em>; the dependent clause as if this is the last time you’ll ever see a steak <\/em>describes the way in which someone is eating.)<\/p>\n

Place: <\/strong>A supermarket now occupies the land where<\/u><\/em> the high school once stood<\/u>. (The subordinating conjunction is where; <\/em>the dependent clause where the high school once stood <\/em>describes the location of the land.)<\/p>\n

Time: <\/strong>Let’s get ice cream after<\/u><\/em> the line gets a little bit shorter<\/u>. (The subordinating conjunction is after<\/em>; the dependent clause after the line gets a little bit shorter <\/em>describes when we’ll get ice cream.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Contrast: <\/strong>Although<\/u><\/em> the washing machine costs more<\/u>, it performs much better and has greater energy efficiency. (The subordinating conjunction is although<\/em>; the dependent clause although the washing machine costs more <\/em>creates a comparison with the information in the independent clause.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Cause: <\/strong>The parade will be delayed until tomorrow because<\/u><\/em> the rain is too steady today<\/u>. (The subordinating conjunction is because<\/em>; the dependent clause because the rain is too steady today <\/em>describes the reason why the parade will be delayed.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Condition: <\/strong>If <\/u><\/em>the contractor receives the down payment on time<\/u>, the work on our home will begin. (The subordinating conjunction is if<\/em>; the dependent clause if the contractor receives the down payment on time <\/em>describes the condition under which the work will begin.<\/em>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As we can see, subordinating conjunctions can be versatile in serving a sentence. The purpose for something is yet another type of information that subordinating conjunctions can provide:<\/p>\n

So that we get there on time<\/u>, let’s leave fifteen minutes earlier than usual.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The subordinating conjunction is so that<\/em>, and the dependent clause so that we get there on time<\/em> explains the reason for leaving earlier than usual.<\/p>\n

Subordinating Conjunctions: Omissions<\/h2>\n

In some cases, the subordinating conjunction might be omitted as understood in a sentence: e.g., I know someday I will build a sandbox for my kids.<\/em><\/p>\n

This sentence includes a subordinating conjunction, that,<\/em> that is left out but that still creates a dependent clause: I know (that) someday I will build a sandbox for my kids<\/u>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Related Topics<\/h3>\n

What Are Subordinate Clauses?<\/a>
\nDependent and Independent Clauses<\/a><\/p>\n

Pop Quiz<\/h2>\n

Identify any subordinating conjunctions that appear in the following sentences.<\/p>\n

1. They want to ride that roller coaster before the park closes.<\/p>\n

2. Janelle wrote five more pages while Raymond was sleeping.<\/p>\n

3. Since the roadwork began, traffic has slowed significantly.<\/p>\n

4. Sherri drives a Toyota, and Marcella drives a Ford.<\/p>\n

5. Though the task may prove to be challenging, we will surely complete it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pop Quiz Answers<\/h3>\n

1. They want to ride that roller coaster before<\/strong> the park closes.<\/p>\n

2. Janelle wrote five more pages while<\/strong> Raymond was sleeping.<\/p>\n

3. Since<\/strong> the roadwork began, traffic has slowed significantly.<\/p>\n

4. Sherri drives a Toyota, and Marcella drives a Ford. no subordinating conjunction<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. Though<\/strong> the task may prove to be challenging, we will surely complete it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A subordinating conjunction is a word or a phrase that begins and therefore introduces a dependent (subordinate) clause. The subordinate conjunction marks how the dependent clause will modify the independent clause with information such as manner, place, time, contrast, cause, or a condition. Some common subordinating conjunctions include: after except that that although if though […]<\/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-5392","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\/5392"}],"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=5392"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5392\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7100,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5392\/revisions\/7100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}