Subordinating conjunctions in english

Examples of subordinating conjunctions

• I’ll call you when I come back from the office.
• The company will not release me before the notice period expires.
• Jacob left his job because he wasn’t treated well.
• I teach English because I love it.
• If you work hard with passion and determination , you can achieve anything in life.
• She wanders the streets as if the virus didn’t catch her.
• We’ll have to wait here until the train comes.
• She won’t be able to overcome her shortcomings unless she starts working on them.
• I’ll start streaming live on YouTube as soon as I hit 500k subscribers.

• The party will be over when you come back.
• My friends have fun in Goa while I wash the dishes here.
• Do the right things, whether people like it or not.
• Every time Maria eats chicken, she gets sick.

Types of subordinating conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions of time

The subordinate conjunctions of time connect the main clause with the subordinate clause and show a relationship of time. The subordinate clause indicates the time of the action in the main clause, and the subordinate conjunction establishes the time relationship, sitting at the beginning of the subordinate clause.

These are the most common subordinate time conjunctions: after, before, as soon as, while, until/until, when, whenever, since, by time

Examples :

• I will start working on the application as soon as I find investors.

(‘As soon as’ is the subordinate conjunction that comes at the beginning of the subordinate clause“tan ready as find inverters“and establishes a time relationship between the main clause and the subordinate clause. The subordinate clause is modifying the main verb of the main clause, which tells us the time of the action. It tells us when I start working on the application: as soon as I find investors).

• We will have dinner together after the meeting is over.
• We’ll give him a party before he leaves the organization .
• While my parents were out partying , I was recording a video.
• He will remain a yes man until he is not promoted to team leader.
• Your friends were laughing when you fell off your bike.
• I lose something every time I’m on a train.
• We haven’t spoken to each other since we had a little fight at Jon’s birthday party .
• The food will be finished by the time I get back home.

Subordinate conjunctions of place

Subordinating conjunctions of place connect the main clause with the subordinate clause and show a relationship of place. They talk about the place of action (main verb) in the main sentence: where the action happens.

These are the subordinating conjunctions of place: where, everywhere, wherever

Examples :

• Monica hides where her dog Barky lives.
  

(The subordinate clause“where does your dog Barky live“is modifying the verb“hide“, telling us where Monica is hiding: she is hiding where her dog Barky lives. Also note that the subordinate conjunction ‘ where ‘ establishes this time relationship between the main clause and the subordinate clause).

• You can rest wherever you want. Feel at home.
• I’ll park my car wherever you want.
• She follows me wherever she wants me to go.

Subordinating conjunctions of reason (cause and effect)

The subordinating conjunctions of reason connect the main clause with the subordinate clause and show a cause and effect relationship. They tell us the reason or result of the main verb in the main clause: why an action occurs or what the result of an action is.

Subordinating conjunctions of reason: because, like, since, so that, now that , so that

Examples :

• he didn’t join us last night because he was feeling sick.
  (The subordinate clause“because he felt bad“he’s telling us the reason why the main action didn’t happen: why he didn’t join us last night. The subordinate conjunction“why“is establishing this relationship between the main clause and the subordinate clause).
• Sam was roughing up some of the guests because he was drunk.
• As the students had been harassing him , he dropped out of school.
• They took him to a gurukul for him to become a good human being and learn the basics.
• Now that the exams are over , let’s go somewhere and party.

NOTE: Subordinate clauses that begin with the subordinating conjunctions of reason are called adverbial clauses of reason.

Note that the subordinate clauses, in the sentences above, tell us the reason why the action in the main clause occurred. The subordinating conjunction is the one that establishes the cause relationship between the main clause and the subordinate clause.

• We all gave him some money so he can pay for college.
  (The subordinate clause“so you can pay for college“modifies the main verb ‘gave’ and tells us the result).

Subordinating conjunctions of condition

Subordinating conjunctions of condition indicate the condition of the event of the main clause.

Subordinating conjunctions of condition: if, only if, unless, provided, provided that, assuming

Examples :

• My father promised to get me my favorite bike if I get first place in the competition.
• He will talk to you only if you’re funny.
• Max is not coming home unless he has a job on his hands.
• We can join the program as long as we have a business background.
• They will allow you to teach students as long as you have some teaching experience.
• As long as there’s extra food in the fridge , you can invite some of your friends over for dinner.
• I’ll let you drive as long as you have a license.
• Assuming (that) he comes , we should be 10 in total.

Always that , Always that , and Assuming that have the same meaning: si , or only if.

Subordinating conjunctions of concession

Subordinate clauses beginning with granting subordinating conjunctions focus on the fact that something, in the main clause, happens despite something else, which should stop it but doesn’t.

Subordinating conjunctions of concession: though, though, though

Examples :

• Although Jon is loaded , he still lives in a small house.
  (The subordinate clause“when Jon is loaded“works as an amazing information. If you are loaded (very rich), you are not supposed to live in a small house. But it is happening here. The subordinate conjunction ‘although’ establishes this relationship between the main clause and the subordinate clause.)
• The teacher kicked me out of the class even though I didn’t do anything.
• Ashish is helping Ronak pass his English test, even though he doesn’t like him.
• Although we played well , we lost the match.
• Even though I apologized for the mistake I didn’t make, she didn’t forgive me.

The subordinate clauses here modify the main verbs in the main clause. Note that there is no difference between though, though, and though. Although and although it puts more stress.

NOTE: Subordinate clauses that begin with the granting subordinating conjunctions (although, though, though) are called adverbial granting clauses.

Subordinating conjunctions of mood

Mode subordinate clauses modify the main verb of the main clause and tell us how they are carried out.

Subordinating conjunctions of mood : como, como si, como si, como

Examples:

• They treat me like I own them. (The subordinate clause ‘ as if they belonged to me telling us how they treat me).
• You’re acting like you’ve seen a ghost.
• Alicia speaks to me as if she doesn’t know me.
• she Lives each day as if it were your last day on the planet.
• They reacted as if they had not been informed about their results.
• The investment is proceeding as expected.

Note that when we use the subordinate conjunction ‘than’ in a subordinate clause, we generally do not use anything after its subject as understood.

• He has more money than me.
• He has more money than me.

• Nobody loved her more than I did.
• Nobody loves her more than I do.

• She’s not as calm as you are.
• She is not as calm as you are.

Subordinating conjunctions of comparison

Comparing subordinate conjunctions join a subordinate clause to a main clause and compare the main clause with the subordinate clause.

Subordinating conjunctions of mood : que, como…como

Examples :

• I’m not as smart as you think I am.
• The match was not all the good we expected.
• Nobody knows her better than I do.

Subordinating conjunctions and commas

Can we use a comma with subordinate conjunctions?

The answer to this question is not so simple. It depends on the placement of the subordinate clause.

• Before I joined this program , I was terrible at public speaking.
• If you can control your mind , you can win any situation.
• Even though he is my brother , I will not let him bother innocent people.

• I was terrible at public speaking before I joined this show .
• You can win any situation if you can control your mind .
• I won’t let him bother innocent people even if he’s my brother .

Subordinating conjunctions vs relative pronouns (who, which, that)

Relative pronouns work like subordinating conjunctions, but they are different from them.

You may have noticed that subordinating conjunctions connect a dependent clause with an independent clause showing a kind of relationship, but they never function as the subject of the dependent clause, nor do they refer to the object of the independent clause.

Study the following examples:

• The teacher kicked me out of the class even though I didn’t do anything.
• We will have dinner together after the meeting is over.

Note that in the two examples above, the subordinating conjunctions (although, after) do not function as the subject of the dependent clause, nor do they refer to the object of the independent clause.

Now, study the following examples of relative pronouns:

• I don’t know anyone who can help you. (working as the subject of the dependent clause)
• He lives in Agra, which is famous for the Taj Mahal. (working as the subject of the dependent clause)
• We have a dog who looks better than you. (working as the subject of the dependent clause)

Notice in the three examples above, the relative pronouns (who, which, that) function as the subject of the dependent clause.

Now study the following examples of relative pronouns that refer to the object of the dependent clause:

• We don’t know the man you’re talking about. (Referring to the object ‘man’)
• Jacob is training the girl whose father is your English teacher. (Referring to the ‘girl’ object)

More examples:

• We know a man who can help you .
• Do you know the person that is next to Jon?
• Max lives in Goa, which has amazing beaches .
• I have not seen any person whose parents do not control them.
• You need a job that matches your skills.
• Do you remember the time when we used to play here?
• Rahul urinated in the place where you eat.
• No one knows why he left this company.

Notice that the relative pronouns here connect the dependent clauses with the independent clause and identify the object in the independent clause.