How to Use Subordinating Conjunctions With Examples

A subordinating conjunction is used in English grammar to connect a dependent clause (or subordinate clause) to an independent clause (or main clause) to make a complex sentence. These single words or phrases clarify specific information about the sentence like time, cause, or condition. Clauses that begin with a subordinating conjunction cannot stand on their own as a complete sentence, and would simply be sentence fragments. Unlike coordinating conjunctions which link together two main clauses of equal grammatical rank, subordinating conjunctions connect two unequal clauses.

There are dozens of common subordinating conjunctions, many of which serve to clarify or add information to the independent clause. Below is a list of subordinators you’ll often find in everyday conversation and literature.

1. 1. Comparison: Some of the subordinating conjunctions that establish a comparison between the main clause and the subordinate clause include “than,” “rather than,” “instead of,” “whether,” “although,” “as much as,” and “whereas.”
   
2. 2. Time: The subordinating conjunctions that specify time include “as soon as,” “once,” “while,” “when,” “whenever,” “after,” “since,” “before,” “until,”and “now that.”
3. 3. Concession: Coordinating conjunctions can add information that indicates an obstacle to the main clause. Concession subordinating conjunctions include “although,” “lest,” “though,” and “even though.”
4. 4. Reason: Certain subordinating conjunctions can be tacked on to the beginning of a subordinate clause to imply cause and effect with the main clause. These words include “because,” “hence,” “since,” “lest,” “so,” “so that,” “in order to,” and “as.”
5. 5. Place: Some of the subordinating conjunctions that reveal information about place in a sentence include “where” or “wherever.”
6. 6. Condition: Coordinating conjunctions can be used to indicate conditionality between a main and subordinate clause with words like “in case,” “lest,” “only if,” “supposing,” or “whether or not.”

Coordinating conjunctions and correlative conjunctions place equal emphasis on two independent clauses within a sentence. However, subordinating conjunctions are types of conjunctions that subordinate one clause to the main clause to reveal additional information about the conditions under which the subject of the sentence is acting. Subordinating conjunctions are most often used in the following ways:

1. 1. To denote time. Subordinating conjunctions like “whenever,” “until,” and “after” all establish a sense of time within a sentence. Including these terms in a clause helps you establish conditions of the past, present, or future. For example, it would be correct to say: “I’ll ask her for a recommendation whenever she is available.”
2. 2. To show cause and effect. Another way to use a subordinating conjunction is to show a cause and effect relationship within a sentence. Words like “because” or “since” can help highlight the progression of the main clause into its future form, such as: “Because Lenny didn’t pay the electric bill, the power went out.”
3. 3. To provide a condition. Subordinating conjunctions are also used to provide a conditional scenario with words like “even if” or “unless.” Using conjunctions in this way establishes the main clause, but also includes a caveat in the second part of the sentence. For instance, you could say: “I won’t be going to dinner unless they apologize first.”
4. 4. To establish a place. Subordinate conjunctions like “where” or “wherever” can indicate where the action of the sentence takes place. For example, you could say: “You will not find me wherever there are venomous snakes.”
5. 5. To establish a manner. A subordinate clause that indicates manner refers to how the action or subject is done. Phrases like “as if” and “as though” are two common subordinating conjunctions used when establishing a manner. For example, you could say: “They ran as though they were being chased,” or, “They studied as if their life depended on it.”
6. 6. To make a comparison. Phrases like “in contrast to” might be one of the more obvious comparative subordinating conjunctions, but other phrases like “whereas” and “instead of” can also help clarify your comparisons. For example, you could say: “My mother is a big fan of watching sports, whereas my father prefers to watch dance movies.”
7. 7. To make a concession. Concession conjunctions like “although” and “even though” provide additional information about an obstacle or interruption that may impact the main clause. For example, you could say: “Although she wasn’t feeling well, she managed to get all of her work done.”

You likely already use subordinate clauses regularly in your writing and speech, but there are a few tips and tricks for properly using them.

1. 1. Use a comma if your subordinate clause begins a sentence. Correct comma usage is pivotal when incorporating subordinate conjunctions into your writing. If your subordinate clause begins a sentence, you should end the clause with a comma before you begin the main clause.
2. 2. Do not use a comma if your subordinate conjunction follows the main clause. If you use a subordinating conjunction in the middle of a sentence and it follows a main clause, you do not need to use a comma to separate the clauses.
3. 3. Use subordinate clauses for finality. You can use subordinate conjunctions or clauses to control which clause you place your emphasis on. For example, a sentence that reads “Since I was late, I missed the ice cream truck,” places more emphasis on the main clause while “I missed the ice cream truck because I was late,” places emphasis on the dependent clause.

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