SUBORDINATION
Knowledge of subordination is necessary for sentence
accuracy, unity, and variety. A subordinate structure
separated as a sentence is not a sentence at all; it is a
fragment. So a knowledge of subordinate-making elements
makes for correct sentence writing. Because a paragraph
must develop a single idea or make one point, a knowledge of
subordination is essential to enable writers to stick to the
one point or idea in their independent clauses and to put
related persons or things in their subordinate structures.
In addition to maintaining unity in the paragraph,
subordination creates variety of sentence structure or
style.
Subordinate structures are clauses or phrases; almost all
subordinate clauses or phrases modify a word in the
independent structure or the whole independent structure.
Subordinate clauses are introduced by either subordinating
conjunctions or relative pronouns. Therefore, recognition
of these function words is necessary to finding and using
subordinate structures.
Subordinating Conjunctions (can be placed ahead of the
subject)
after provided whatever
although since when
as that whenever
because through where
before unless wherever
if until whether
lest what while
NOTE: The following word list names Conjunctive Adverbs,
often confused with subordinating conjunctions.
besides indeed subsequently
consequently however moreover
therefore furthermore in fact
nevertheless thus hence
Relative Pronouns (used as subject when the case is right)
who (Subject or nominative case)
which (Subject or nominative case)
that (Subject or nominative case)
whose (Possessive case)
whom (Object or objective case)
NOTE: No other pronouns are subordinating except for
compounds of the above, such as whoever and whomever.
All phrases are subordinate structures. Some phrases are
headed by verbals -- infinitives (to go); gerunds (running);
participles (running, baked, having come). Other phrases
are prepositional -- headed by a preposition. By far the
greater number of phrases are prepositional; therefore a
recognition of prepositions is essential.