A Closer Look at Conjunctions, Part 2

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CAT 2009 Online Preparation

Author: lucyinthesky

Subordinate Conjunctions

p<>. You've already taken a look at Coordinating Conjunctions. Now let's take a look at another type of conjunction - the subordinate conjunction!

What is a subordinate conjunction?

A subordinate conjunction comes at the beginning of the dependent clause.

It basically connects two parts of a sentence together - it makes the dependent clause critical to forming a full meaning with the rest of the sentence.

But what's the difference between a subordinate conjunction and a coordinating conjunction?

Coordinating conjunctions are probably the first type of conjunctions you think of - for example, and, but, or and so. They have the ability to connect independent clauses. Subordinating conjunctions, on the other hand, connect structures (usually clauses) of unequal rank. It introduces a clause that is dependent on the main clause.

Examples of subordinate conjunctions

Unless there is any reason these two people should not be married, please speak now or forever hold your peace.

You may go to the concert with Heather, as long as you finish studying for your test.

As long as there is a reason for me to paint, I will continue to create art.

There is hope where there is despair.

I have to leave now because my grandmother's birthday party is tonight.

Common Subordinating Conjunctions

Here's a handy list to help you identify subordinating conjunctions:

Common Subordinating Conjunctions
after although as if as long as as though because before even if even though	if if only now that once rather than since so that than that	though unless until when whenever where whereas wherever while

When do I use a comma?

There are a few punctuation rules you should know when dealing these tricky guys.

1. When you're introducing the dependent clause before the main clause, insert a comma between the two clauses to separate them.

For example: "Before I returned home, I bought some coffee."

2. If the main clause is first, followed by the subordinating conjunction and the dependent clause, a comma isn't necessary. Adding a comma in this type of sentence isn't really needed because the subordinate clause was crucial to the meaning of the sentence.

For example: "You won't know what's wrong with your neck until you go to the doctor."

Like vs. As

The "like versus as" is a tricky situation, especially if English isn't your first language.

The word like is a preposition, not a conjunction.

You can use like to introduce a prepositional phrase: "My sister is short like my mother."

Like should not be used to introduce a clause:

Wrong: "My can't play the violin like as she used to."

To introduce a clause in formal academic writing, you should as as, as though, or as if instead of like. To be the on safe side, you should not use the word like unless you're pointing out similarities (it can be replaced with "similar to"):

Right: "This poem is like John Keats' famous ode."

If you are listing similarities, you should use "such as" :

Right: "Hemingway wrote many famous novels, such as The Sun Also Rises, The Old Man and the Sea and For Whom the Bell Tolls."

To omit or not to omit that?

The conjunction that can be omitted, as long as no ambiguity results from its omission. Three good rules of thumb for keeping that in a sentence are: 1. When an element of time is located between the verb and the clause:

For example: "The government said yesterday that the economy is strong." "Yesterday" is the element of time and "the economy is strong" is the clause separated with the conjunction that.

2. When the verb is located far away from the clause's subject:

For example: "The students in Mrs. Tuskin's first grade classroom revealed that they had a Christmas present for her."

Note here that the "students", which is the subject in the clause, is far away from the verb "revealed".

3. When using that will clear up who said or did what:

For example: "The boss said that Amanda's performance was faltering and that production had dropped because of her negligible duties."

Note that because the sentence is so long, leaving "that" out could cause confusion about what is actually happening. It is best to keep the conjunction in this third circumstance as well.

Can I begin a sentence with the conjunction "because"?

Yes. For some reason, the idea that you can't start a sentence with a subordinating conjunction has become quite popular. Technically speaking, as long as you create a proper sentence, this shouldn't matter.

"Because it's cold outside, I'm going to wear a hat today."

Just be careful that you don't end up creating a sentence fragment - an incomplete idea of a sentence:

Wrong: "Because it is cold outside."

The above sentence is incomplete. What is second idea which makes you explain further that it is a result of the cold weather?

To be on the safe side, try to avoid using because at the beginning of a sentence - until you know for sure that your sentence is fully formed.