
Types of Subordinate Clauses
- a. Noun Clause. A noun clause is a group of words that acts as a noun in a sentence. ...
- b. Adjective Clause. An adjective is a descriptive word. ...
- c. Adverb clause. An adverb clause is a group of words that work as an adverb in a sentence, answering questions asking “where?”, “when,” “how?” and “why?”
What are some examples of subordinate clauses?
Let’s look at some more examples of Subordinate Clauses to give us a clear understanding :
- Because they said so (They=subject; said=verb)
- When they were five (They=subject; were=verb)
- Since it would be cold today (it=subject; would be cold=verb)
- In case you pass the exam. (you=subject; pass=verb)
What does subordinate clauses mean?
A subordinate clause is a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence; it merely complements a sentence's main clause, thereby adding to the whole unit of meaning. This main clause will be independent: it can stand on its own as a complete sentence. We can all go for ice cream.
What is a subordinating clause?
A subordinating clause is a part of a sentence that adds additional information to the main clause. A subordinating conjunction is simply the word/words that is used to join a subordinating clause to another clause or sentence. "He was annoyed, the train had stopped."
How do you use subordinate in a sentence?
Subordinating conjunctions do a few things:
- Show the type of relationship (e.g. time or place–based; conditional; or cause-and-effect) between the information in a sentence’s subordinate clause and its main clause—the independent clause.
- Link a dependent clause to an independent clause to create a complex sentence.
- Signal the dependent clause’s subordinate status, i.e. ...

What is a subordinate clause and example?
Definition of subordinate clause : a clause that does not form a simple sentence by itself and that is connected to the main clause of a sentence In the sentence "I went home because I felt ill," "because I felt ill" is a subordinate clause.
What are the 7 subordinating clauses?
What Are the 7 Subordinating Conjunctions?Comparison: Whereas, whether, than.Concession: Though, although, even though.Condition: Unless, if, in case.Time: After, before, until.Place: Where, wherever.Manner: How, as if, as though.Reason: Because, so that, since.
What are the 3 subordinate clauses?
3 Types of Subordinate Clauses Subordinate clauses fall into three categories: direct objects, a noun modifier, or a verb modifier.
What is subordinate clause answer?
A subordinate clause is a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence; it merely complements a sentence's main clause, thereby adding to the whole unit of meaning. Because a subordinate clause is dependent upon a main clause to be meaningful, it is also referred to as a dependent clause.
What are 5 examples of subordinate clause?
Examples of Subordinate Clauses:Because I said so (I=subject; said=verb)When I was five (I=subject; was=verb)Since it will rain today (it=subject; will rain=verb)Who is my best friend (not written as a question-who=subject; is=verb)If you pass the test (you=subject; pass=verb)
What is the example of clause?
An example of a clause is: The fast, red squirrel darted up a tree. The subject of this clause is the fast, red squirrel, and the verb is 'darted'. This can also be called a simple sentence.
How do you identify a subordinate clause?
0:2314:23Recognizing Subordinate Clauses - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe see it in a sentence the answers. I suggest are as follows I suggest we start by finding verbs.MoreWe see it in a sentence the answers. I suggest are as follows I suggest we start by finding verbs. You can also look for subordinate claw subordinators.
How do you identify the main and subordinate clauses?
Main clauses have a subject and verb and can stand on their own. Subordinate clauses begin with a conjunction and therefore cannot stand on their own.
Can you have 2 subordinate clauses in a sentence?
Sentences with two subordinate clauses occur quite of- ten in corpora. Theories and tools in Computational Lin- guistics are available now which allow us to study such sentences exhaustively, both at the syntactic and semantic level.
How do you write a clause and sub clause?
If the section starts with some wording i.e if something is written at the start of a section and which is followed by.. 3.. then it will be "clause". like section 2 stats with "In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—"and thereafter 1, 2, 3.. are given which are "clauses" not sub section.
What is a sentence for subordinate?
The Order in Wales remained subordinate to the English Prior. National constitutions would become legally subordinate, both speakers contended. Everything is made subordinate to the overmastering dictates of war. Complex mathematics was seen as subordinate to the needs of the practicing engineer.
What are the types of subordinate clauses?
There are three different kinds of subordinate clauses: adverb clauses, adjective clauses, and noun clauses.
How do you identify a subordinating clause?
A subordinate clause, like an independent clause, has a subject and a verb, but unlike an independent clause, it cannot stand alone as a sentence. Subordinate clauses begin with certain words or short phrases called subordinating words (also known as dependent words, or subordinating/subordinate conjunctions).
Can you have 2 subordinate clauses in a sentence?
Sentences with two subordinate clauses occur quite of- ten in corpora. Theories and tools in Computational Lin- guistics are available now which allow us to study such sentences exhaustively, both at the syntactic and semantic level.
What Is a Clause?
A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. There are two main categories of clauses.
How to construct a complex compound sentence?
You can construct a complex compound sentence by joining a dependent or subordinate clause with two independent clauses.
Why did she run to answer the phone?
This clause can’t stand on its own. It needs a main clause to get across its complete thought. She ran to answer the phone because she could hear ringing in the other room.
Do you need a comma when you use a subordinating clause?
If your subordinating clause comes at the beginning of your complex compound sentence, don’t forget to set it off using a comma. If it comes at the end of one of your main clauses, you don’t need to separate it with a comma.
Why Do I Need to Know Which Clauses Are Subordinate?
Now that you can identify a subordinate or dependent clause, you may wonder how this information can be helpful to you. The answer to that is simple. It will help you to avoid hearing the words (from a teacher, editor, or coworker), “You should put a comma there.” Or the equally delightful, “You shouldn’t have put a comma there.”
What is a subordinate clause?
Catherine Traffis. Grammar. A subordinate clause is a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence ; it merely complements a sentence’s main clause, thereby adding to the whole unit of meaning. Because a subordinate clause is dependent upon a main clause to be meaningful, it is also referred to as a dependent clause.
Why is it too soon to celebrate about our ice cream outing?
It is too soon to celebrate about our ice cream outing because there is a task at hand. We have to first find that wallet. On its own, if I can find my wallet is a subordinate clause; it is not a full unit of meaning. If it was written separately as a sentence, the result would be a sentence fragment—your English teacher’s pet peeve.
When a subordinate clause begins a sentence, does it have a comma?
The best part is, it is actually quite simple. When a subordinate clause begins a sentence, it has a comma after it. When the main clause begins the sentence, there is no comma to separate it from the dependent clause. If I can find my wallet we can all go for ice cream.
What pronouns start with "who"?
They can also begin with relative pronouns such as that, which, who, whom, whichever, whoever, whomever, and whose . Spotting these words can tip you off that you are dealing with a subordinate clause rather than a main clause.
What are the two types of relative clauses?
There are two types of relative clauses: restrictive and nonrestrictive. Restrictive clauses are sometimes referred to as essential clauses. This is because they are essential to the meaning of the sentences they are a part of. Elements of a sentence that are essential should not be set apart with commas.
Can a nonrestrictive clause be excised?
The opposite is true with nonrestrictive clauses: they can be excised from a sentence without altering its core meaning. Since they are nonessential, they should always be set apart with commas in a sentence. Often, nonrestrictive clauses will “interrupt” a main clause, as in the example below, and when that happens, you should insert a comma both before and after the clause.
What is a subordinate clause?
Updated July 20, 2019. In English grammar, a subordinate clause is a group of words that has both a subject and a verb but (unlike an independent clause) cannot stand alone as a sentence. Also known as a dependent clause.
What are subordinating conjunctions?
Formally, subordinating conjunctions can be grouped as follows: simple conjunctions: when, whenever, where, wherever, because, if, unless, until, while, as, although. conjunctive groups: as if, as though, even if, even though, even when, soon after, no sooner.
When I heard the learn'd astronomer?
"When I heard the learn’d astronomer ;#N#When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;#N#When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them;#N#When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,#N#How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;#N#Till rising and gliding out, I wander’d off by myself,#N#In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,#N#Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars."#N#(Walt Whitman, "When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer." Leaves of Grass )
What is a subordinate clause?
A subordinate clause is defined as a clause that cannot stand on its own. They are not considered a complete sentence because they do not convey a complete thought. They are also referred to as dependent clauses, meaning they need a complete sentence or independent clause to be used correctly. They are found commonly in writing to add detail or support a fact or idea in a sentence's main clause. Subordinate clauses, like all clauses, have a subject and a predicate. A couple of examples of subordinate clauses follow:
What is business English?
Business English teaches how to use subordinate clauses in everyday life in order to add more detail to a thought and make it more specific. It teaches about sentence structure and elements of a sentence, such as the use of conjunctions and relative pronouns followed by a comma to express a dependent clause.
How to punctuate subordinate clauses?
Introductory subordinate clauses can be punctuated by adding a comma after the dependent clause starting the sentence. If it does not have a comma or does not start the sentence, then the subordinate clause is not introductory.
What is the difference between subordinate clauses and business clauses?
Intermediate English provides for the basic definition and mechanics of subordinate or dependent clauses, while Business English becomes more technical.
Why is "after writing an independent clause" a subordinate clause?
In this example, "after writing an independent clause" is the subordinate clause because it answers the question ''when?'' By providing this explanation, the writer has made the thought more specific and provided the reader with more information. If the dependent clause were removed from the sentence , a complete thought would still exist.
Why are there no longer introductory clauses in a sentence?
However, there is no longer an introductory clause present because they do not begin the sentence, nor are they separated by a comma.
What does subordinate mean in grammar?
What does subordinate mean? Subordinate within the context of grammar means incomplete, or cannot act on ones own. Another word for subordinate is dependent. A subordinate clause, therefore, unable to stand in its own because it is not a complete thought. Subordinate clauses contain both a subject and a predicate, but only provides additional information within a complete sentence.
What is the difference between a subordinate clause and a dependent clause?
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.
What is a subordinate clause?
Subordinate clause: that is made with soy instead of milk and cream. 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.
What does "Walter" mean in a sentence?
Walter is a man who tries to live a virtuous life. (describes man) Walter is a man whom we have always looked up to. (describes man) Walter has always been someone whose virtues I admire. (describes someone) Subordinate Clauses as Adverbs (*each sentence describes the timing of the action)
Is the subordinate clause an adjective?
This makes the subordinate clause an adjective. In the last sentence, the entire dependent clause wherever Joseph decides to put that old rake acts as the sentence subject. This makes the subordinate clause a noun. The following table includes common signals of subordination.
Is "subordinate" a pronoun?
The word is either a relative pronoun or a subordinating conjunction, and it subordinates the clause it is in. 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.
Is "since I started exercising" an adverb?
In the first sentence, since I started exercising modifies the verb phrase, have noticed, to describe the timing of the action. This makes the subordinate clause an adverb.
When guests leave, do we clean up?
When the guests leave, we will clean up.

What Is A Subordinate Clause? – Meaning and Definition
- A subordinate clause, also known as a dependent clause, is a combination of words that includes a noun, a verb, a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun, other parts of speechand determiners. It is only a part of the sentence, mostly employed to provide more information about the rest of the sentence. Let us look at how different dictionar...
Types of Subordinate Clauses
- Subordinate clauses or dependent clauses can be classified into various types based on the role they play in a sentence. The types of subordinate clauses are: 1. Noun clauses 2. Adjective clauses 3. Adverb clauses 4. Conditional clauses 5. Relative clauses 6. Comparative clauses 7. Verbless clauses 8. Complementary clauses
Examples of Subordinate Clauses
- Here are a few examples of subordinate clauses that you can refer to. 1. After watching the Quiet Place, I was petrified. 2. Can you calculate these answer papers if you are free? 3. In case you are ready,we can leave. 4. Are you coming to the concert that I had told you about last week? 5. Unless Quinn is fine with scoring low grades, she should not absent herself from classes too mu…
Test Your Understanding of Subordinate Clauses
- Identify the subordinate clause in the following sentences. 1. With reference to the instructions provided, I think it is compulsory to submit a consent letter from our parents. 2. We did not see the man, who sells balloons in front of our school, today. 3. Although my stomach was so full, I managed to finish my food. 4. After I reach home, I will give you a call. 5. Even though the little d…