subordinating conjunction

Definition:

A conjunction that introduces a dependent clause. Compare with Coordinating Conjunction.

See also:

• Sentence-Imitation Exercise: Complex Sentences
• Clause
• Complementizers
• Complex Sentence
• Exercise in Identifying Adverb Clauses
• Interrogative Word
• Subordinate Clause

Common Subordinating Conjunctions

Cause
as
because
in order that
since
so that

Concession and Comparison
although
as
as though
even though
just as
though
whereas
while

Condition
even if
if
in case
provided that
unless

Place
where
wherever

Time
after
as soon as
as long as
before
once
still
till
until
when
whenever
while

Examples and Observations:

• "English has a wide range of subordinate conjunctions: that, if, though, although, because, when, while, after, before, and so forth. . . . They are placed before a complete sentence or independent clause to make that clause dependent. This dependent clause now needs to attach to another clause that is independent. Otherwise, a sentence fragment results:

  *When Doris bought the cake.

  (Mark Honegger, English Grammar for Writing. Houghton Mifflin, 2005)



• "While the State exists, there can be no freedom. When there is freedom there will be no State."
  (Vladimir Lenin)



• "If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there would be peace."
  (John Lennon)



• "I can believe anything, provided that it is quite incredible."
  (Oscar Wilde)



• "Every man, wherever he goes, is encompassed by a cloud of comforting convictions, which move with him like flies on a summer day."
  (Bertrand Russell)



• "A platitude is simply a truth repeated until people get tired of hearing it."
  (Stanley Baldwin)



• "I had a funny feeling as I saw the house disappear, as though I had written a poem and it was very good and I had lost it and would never remember it again."
  (Raymond Chandler, The High Window, 1942)



• "Most subordinate clauses are signalled by the use of a subordinating conjunction. There are three main types:

  - simple subordinators consist of one word:
  although, if, since, that, unless, until, whereas, while, etc.
  
  - complex subordinators consist of more than one word:
  in order that, such that, granted (that), assuming (that), so (that), as long as, insofar as, in case, etc.
  
  - correlative subordinators consist of 'pairs' of words which relate two parts of the sentence:
  as . . . so . . ., scarcely . . . when . . ., if . . . then . . ., etc.

  (David Crystal, Rediscover Grammar, 3rd ed. Longman, 2004)



• "I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
  (Pablo Picasso)



• "If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner."
  (Tallulah Bankhead)



• "These are white-looking figures, whereas the men who are about to spar have on dark headguards that close grimly around the face like an executioner's hood."
  (Edward Hoagland, "Heart's Desire," 1973)

Also Known As: subordinator, subordinate conjunction, complementizer