Subordinating conjunctions are crucial elements in the English language. They are the words or phrases that join a dependent clause to an independent clause, helping to create more complex and nuanced sentences. By connecting two ideas, subordinating conjunctions add richness and depth to your writing, making it more engaging and clear. Whether you are writing an essay, email, or story, understanding how to use subordinating conjunctions effectively is essential to becoming a better writer.
In this article, we’ll dive into examples of subordinating conjunctions, their functions, types, and how they can be used to improve your sentence structure.
What Are Subordinating Conjunctions?
A subordinating conjunction connects a dependent clause (also called a subordinate clause) to an independent clause. The dependent clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence because it doesn’t express a full idea. The independent clause, on the other hand, can stand alone as a complete thought.
The subordinating conjunction shows the relationship between the two clauses, indicating things like time, cause, condition, or contrast.
Features of Subordinating Conjunctions:
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They connect a dependent clause to an independent clause.
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They can express various relationships between the two clauses (e.g., cause and effect, condition, time).
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They help make sentences more complex and descriptive.
Examples of Subordinating Conjunctions in Action:
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Although it was raining, they went for a walk.
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(“Although” connects the dependent clause “it was raining” to the independent clause “they went for a walk.”)
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Because I was tired, I went to bed early.
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(“Because” shows the reason why the speaker went to bed early.)
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These examples show how subordinating conjunctions can enrich a sentence by providing additional context or details.
Types of Subordinating Conjunctions and Their Functions
Subordinating conjunctions can be categorized based on the relationship they convey between the two clauses. Let’s take a closer look at the different types of subordinating conjunctions and the functions they serve.
1. Time
These subordinating conjunctions indicate when something happens.
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After: “After I finish my homework, I will call you.”
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Before: “I always have coffee before I leave for work.”
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Since: “Since we moved, I’ve made many new friends.”
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When: “When the movie is over, we can go for dinner.”
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While: “While I was sleeping, the phone rang.”
These subordinating conjunctions help describe the timing of an action or event in relation to another.
2. Cause and Effect
These subordinating conjunctions explain why something happens or the result of an action.
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Because: “She didn’t come because she was sick.”
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Since: “Since the weather is nice, we’ll go for a walk.”
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So that: “I’ll leave early so that I can avoid traffic.”
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As: “As the night went on, it got colder.”
These conjunctions show the reason or purpose behind an action.
3. Condition
These subordinating conjunctions express a condition that must be met for something to happen.
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If: “If it rains tomorrow, the event will be canceled.”
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Unless: “You won’t succeed unless you try your best.”
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Provided that: “You can go to the party provided that you finish your chores.”
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In case: “I will bring an umbrella in case it rains.”
These conjunctions create a sense of dependency, showing that one action relies on another happening.
4. Contrast or Concession
These subordinating conjunctions show a contrast or exception.
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Although: “Although I was tired, I went for a run.”
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Even though: “Even though the test was hard, I passed.”
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Though: “She smiled, though she was feeling sad.”
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Whereas: “I like tea, whereas my sister prefers coffee.”
These conjunctions highlight differences or exceptions between two ideas.
5. Place
These subordinating conjunctions indicate location or place.
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Where: “I’ll meet you where the road bends.”
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Wherever: “Wherever you go, I will follow.”
These conjunctions help link actions or events to their location.
Examples of Subordinating Conjunctions in Complex Sentences
To understand the practical use of subordinating conjunctions, let’s look at more examples in sentences. These examples will show how subordinating conjunctions connect two clauses to form a complete thought.
Time:
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“We will leave after the meeting is over.”
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“He arrived before the sun set.”
Cause and Effect:
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“She couldn’t attend the meeting because she was unwell.”
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“I stayed home since the weather was bad.”
Condition:
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“We’ll go for a walk if the rain stops.”
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“You can go out to play unless it gets dark.”
Contrast or Concession:
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“She was excited, even though she was nervous.”
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“He passed the test, although he didn’t study much.”
Place:
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“I will wait where we agreed to meet.”
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“We’ll stop where the path forks.”
These examples demonstrate how subordinating conjunctions add context and meaning to sentences, making them more complex and informative.
Why Subordinating Conjunctions Are Important
Subordinating conjunctions are important because they allow you to combine short, simple sentences into longer, more complex ones. This not only improves the flow of your writing but also helps you express more detailed ideas.
Using subordinating conjunctions effectively can help you:
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Create more nuanced, detailed sentences.
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Show relationships between actions, events, or ideas.
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Improve the clarity and coherence of your writing.
By practicing with these conjunctions, you can make your writing more engaging and sophisticated.
Practical Examples of Subordinating Conjunctions in Action
Now that we’ve explored the types and functions of subordinating conjunctions, let’s dive deeper into real-world examples and how you can use them to improve your writing. Subordinating conjunctions are versatile, allowing you to express relationships like time, cause, condition, contrast, and more, all while making your sentences more complex and fluid.
Time-Related Subordinating Conjunctions
Time-based conjunctions show when something happens in relation to another event. Using these types of conjunctions helps you set clear timelines or sequences in your sentences.
Examples:
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After: “After the concert ended, we went out for dinner.”
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(This shows what happens after another event.)
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Before: “Before the sun rises, I like to have a cup of coffee.”
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(This shows the event happening before another event.)
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When: “When you finish your homework, we can go for a walk.”
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(This indicates the time when something will happen.)
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Until: “You can stay here until the movie starts.”
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(This tells us until what point an event will happen.)
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These time-based subordinating conjunctions are incredibly useful for providing a timeline or sequencing events in your writing.
Cause and Effect Subordinating Conjunctions
Cause and effect conjunctions explain why something happens or the result of an action. They help clarify the reason behind an event, making your writing more informative and persuasive.
Examples:
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Because: “I stayed home because it was snowing outside.”
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(This shows the reason behind staying home.)
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Since: “Since we have extra tickets, we can invite more friends.”
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(This explains the cause or reason for inviting more people.)
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So that: “I’ll set an alarm so that I wake up early.”
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(This shows the purpose of setting the alarm.)
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These conjunctions add depth by explaining the cause or reasoning behind actions, making your writing more logical and cohesive.
Condition-Based Subordinating Conjunctions
Condition-based subordinating conjunctions introduce a situation that must happen for something else to occur. They help you present hypothetical situations or conditions that affect outcomes.
Examples:
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If: “If it rains, we’ll stay inside.”
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(This sets a condition for staying inside.)
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Unless: “You can go out unless you finish your chores.”
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(This sets a condition for going out, making it contingent on completing chores.)
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Provided that: “I’ll lend you my book provided that you return it on time.”
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(This shows the condition for lending the book.)
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By using these types of conjunctions, you can present scenarios that depend on certain conditions being met, adding flexibility and nuance to your writing.
Contrast or Concession Subordinating Conjunctions
Contrast-based subordinating conjunctions introduce an idea that contrasts or contradicts the main clause. They help express conflicting ideas or exceptions, making your writing more complex and layered.
Examples:
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Although: “Although I was tired, I decided to finish the project.”
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(This introduces a contrast between being tired and deciding to finish the task.)
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Even though: “Even though it was late, we decided to go for a walk.”
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(This emphasizes a contradiction between the time and the decision to walk.)
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Though: “Though it was raining, they continued their hike.”
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(This introduces a contrast between the weather and the action.)
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These conjunctions add depth to your writing by highlighting differences or exceptions.
Place-Based Subordinating Conjunctions
Place-based subordinating conjunctions express location or direction, helping you describe where actions take place.
Examples:
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Where: “I’ll meet you where the road turns.”
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(This tells us where the meeting will happen.)
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Wherever: “Wherever you go, I will follow.”
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(This indicates an open-ended place or location.)
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These conjunctions help provide clarity about the location or setting of actions in your writing.
50 Examples of subordinating conjunctions
Time
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After – After the meeting ends, we can grab lunch.
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Before – Before you leave, make sure to turn off the lights.
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When – I’ll call you when I arrive at the airport.
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While – While I was reading, my phone rang.
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As – As the sun set, the sky turned orange.
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Once – Once the exam is over, we can relax.
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Since – Since it’s raining, we’ll stay inside.
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Until – I will wait until you finish your homework.
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Whenever – Whenever I visit my grandmother, she makes me tea.
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As soon as – As soon as I get home, I’ll call you.
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By the time – By the time we arrived, the movie had already started.
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During – During the presentation, he took notes.
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Afterward – Afterward, we can go for a walk in the park.
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As long as – You can stay as long as you’re quiet.
Condition
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If – If it rains tomorrow, we will cancel the picnic.
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Unless – We can go for a walk unless it starts snowing.
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Provided that – I’ll help you provided that you finish your work first.
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In case – Bring an umbrella in case it rains.
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Even if – Even if you’re late, we’ll start without you.
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Whether – I’m not sure whether she will join us for dinner.
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In the event that – In the event that the flight is delayed, we’ll wait in the lounge.
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As long as – You can go out as long as you finish your chores first.
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Only if – You can join us only if you bring your ID.
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On condition that – I’ll give you the money on condition that you pay me back tomorrow.
Cause and Effect
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Because – I went home early because I wasn’t feeling well.
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Since – Since you’re here, let’s get started.
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As – As it was getting late, we decided to leave.
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So that – She studied hard so that she could pass the test.
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In order that – He left early in order that he could avoid traffic.
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Because of – The game was canceled because of the rain.
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Due to – The flight was delayed due to technical issues.
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As a result of – As a result of the storm, the roads were closed.
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For the reason that – We left early for the reason that the weather was getting worse.
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So – She was tired, so she went to bed early.
Contrast or Concession
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Although – Although I was tired, I finished my homework.
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Even though – Even though he was sick, he went to work.
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Though – Though it was late, they continued their meeting.
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Whereas – I like reading, whereas my sister prefers watching movies.
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While – While I enjoy pizza, I can’t eat it every day.
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But – I wanted to go to the beach, but it started raining.
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In spite of – In spite of the cold weather, they went hiking.
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Despite – Despite the traffic, we made it on time.
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Notwithstanding – Notwithstanding the challenges, he succeeded.
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Even if – Even if it’s hard, you should try your best.
Place
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Where – I will meet you where the road meets the river.
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Wherever – Wherever you go, I will follow.
Manner or Degree
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As if – He acted as if he had already won the contest.
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As though – She looked at me as though I had said something wrong.
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In case – I’ll take an extra pair of shoes in case it rains.
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Than – She runs faster than I do.
Why Master Subordinating Conjunctions?
Mastering subordinating conjunctions is crucial for anyone looking to elevate their writing and communication. By linking dependent and independent clauses effectively, you can create more complex sentences that express multiple ideas clearly and smoothly. Here’s why understanding examples of subordinating conjunctions is key to improving your writing:
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Enhances Clarity: Using subordinating conjunctions helps break down complex thoughts into manageable, clear sentences.
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Increases Sentence Variety: Instead of using simple sentences, subordinating conjunctions let you combine ideas into more sophisticated structures.
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Improves Flow: Subordinating conjunctions make your writing flow more naturally by showing how different parts of the sentence are connected.
With practice, using subordinating conjunctions will become second nature, and you’ll be able to construct sentences that are both engaging and informative.
Practical Tips for Using Subordinating Conjunctions Effectively
Understanding how to use subordinating conjunctions is just the first step in mastering sentence structure. To take your writing to the next level, it’s important to practice using these conjunctions effectively. In this section, we will provide practical tips and strategies for incorporating subordinating conjunctions into your writing, helping you create clearer, more engaging sentences.
1. Use Subordinating Conjunctions to Add Detail and Depth
One of the key advantages of subordinating conjunctions is their ability to add detail and depth to your writing. Instead of relying on simple, short sentences, subordinating conjunctions allow you to combine multiple ideas into a single, more informative sentence.
For example:
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Without subordinating conjunction: “I went to the park. It was sunny.”
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With subordinating conjunction: “I went to the park because it was sunny.”
By using the conjunction “because,” the second sentence provides more information, making it clearer why the speaker went to the park.
2. Vary Sentence Structure for More Complex Writing
Subordinating conjunctions help you create more varied sentence structures, which keeps your writing interesting. By combining independent and dependent clauses, you can avoid repetitive sentence patterns and make your writing flow more smoothly.
For example:
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Simple sentence: “She finished her work.”
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Complex sentence: “She finished her work even though it was challenging.”
The second sentence is more engaging because it adds complexity and highlights the challenge involved in finishing the work.
3. Avoid Overloading Sentences with Too Many Subordinating Clauses
While subordinating conjunctions can make sentences more interesting, using too many in a single sentence can overwhelm the reader. It’s important to strike a balance. Too many clauses can make your writing feel cluttered and difficult to follow.
For example:
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Overloaded sentence: “Although it was raining, because I was tired, and since I had an appointment, I decided to stay home.”
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Simplified sentence: “Although it was raining, I decided to stay home because I was tired and had an appointment.”
By simplifying the second sentence, we maintain clarity without losing the essential meaning.
4. Experiment with Different Subordinating Conjunctions to Vary Tone
Each subordinating conjunction brings a slightly different tone or emphasis to your sentences. For example, using “although” or “even though” might emphasize contrast, while “because” or “since” focuses on cause and effect.
Examples:
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Contrast: “Although it was cold, we went for a walk.”
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Cause/Effect: “Because it was cold, we stayed inside.”
By using different subordinating conjunctions, you can tailor your writing to achieve the exact tone and nuance you desire.
5. Use Subordinating Conjunctions to Show Relationships Between Ideas
Subordinating conjunctions are excellent for illustrating relationships between ideas in your writing. Whether you’re connecting events, showing cause and effect, or indicating conditions, subordinating conjunctions help clarify how one idea leads to another.
For example:
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Cause and effect: “I stayed up late because I had a lot of work to do.”
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Condition: “You will succeed if you put in the effort.”
These examples show how subordinating conjunctions can help you express complex relationships between ideas more clearly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Subordinating Conjunctions
While subordinating conjunctions can greatly enhance your writing, there are a few common mistakes to be aware of. By avoiding these errors, you’ll be able to use subordinating conjunctions effectively and improve the quality of your sentences.
1. Incorrect Word Order
When using subordinating conjunctions, make sure the dependent clause is placed in the correct position. While it can appear at the beginning or end of the sentence, the order affects how the sentence is read.
For example:
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Incorrect: “I will go to the store if I finish my homework.”
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Correct: “If I finish my homework, I will go to the store.”
In the incorrect sentence, the dependent clause “if I finish my homework” is placed after the main clause, which can cause confusion.
2. Forgetting to Use Commas
When a subordinate clause starts the sentence, it’s important to use a comma to separate it from the main clause. Without the comma, the sentence can feel rushed or unclear.
For example:
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Without comma: “Although it was raining we still went for a walk.”
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With comma: “Although it was raining, we still went for a walk.”
The comma after the subordinate clause makes the sentence easier to read and understand.
3. Overuse of Subordinating Conjunctions
While subordinating conjunctions add depth and complexity, overusing them can lead to overly complicated sentences. Instead of relying on multiple subordinating conjunctions, try to vary your sentence structure or break longer sentences into smaller, clearer ones.
For example:
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Overuse: “Because it was raining, I stayed inside, and because I was tired, I watched TV.”
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Simplified: “It was raining, so I stayed inside. I was also tired, so I watched TV.”
Breaking up the sentence keeps it clean and easier for the reader to follow.
Conculation
Subordinating conjunctions are essential tools that help transform your writing into something more nuanced and engaging. By connecting dependent and independent clauses, these conjunctions allow you to create more complex sentences that provide context, express conditions, and show relationships between ideas. Whether you’re writing an essay, a report, or even a story, using examples of subordinating conjunctions will enable you to craft clearer and more sophisticated sentences.
With practice, subordinating conjunctions will become second nature, helping you improve your writing style. Experimenting with different types, like time, cause, and contrast, will allow you to convey your thoughts more effectively and make your writing flow naturally. Keep exploring and refining your use of subordinating conjunctions to elevate your writing to the next level.
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