SUBORDINATION

SUBORDINATION

Means putting less important ideas in less important grammatical

structures like dependent clauses. One means of subordination is
sentence combining or reducing.

Sentence combining
Melissa topped the test.
Melissa was late by twenty minutes.
Although late by twenty minutes,
dependent clause

Melissa topped the test.

independent clause

Although late,

Melissa topped the test

Dependent

independent clause

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions do the job of connecting dependent

clauses to independent clauses.

Type

Conjunction

Type

Conjunction

time

when, before,
after, since,
while, until, as

Conditional

If, unless

purpose

in order to, so
that

Reason

because, since,
as

result

so that

Concessive

although,
though, while,
despite

place

where, wherever

Manner

as, like

Time

Her father died when she was young.

Conditional
Purpose

If I could afford it, I would buy a car.

They had to extend the session in order to discuss all concerns

raised.

Reason I couldnt ignore him because he was my childhood playmate.

Result
things.

She had difficulty moving house so I extended help by

Concessive
Place

transporting her

While I did well in class, I was a poor performers at club activities.

Wherever I stayed, I found troublesome neighbors.

Manner Is she often rude and cross like shes been this past week?

Relative Clauses

Another form of coordination involves the embedding of one clause within

another. For Example:
The lady came into the room.
The lady was small and slender.
The lady [the lady came to the room] was small and slender.
The lady who came into the room was small and slender.

The most common relative pronouns which mark clauses are: that, which,
who, whom, and whose. Their uses are presented earlier In the
section on pronouns.