English Grammar for the Utterly Confused - Laurie Rozakis 2003

Subordinating Sentence Parts
Chapter 9 Sentence Coordination and Subordination
Part 3 Sentence Sense

Subordination is connecting two unequal but related clauses with a subordinating conjunction to form a complex sentence. Coordination shows the relationship among equal independent clauses; subordination, in contrast, shows the relationship between ideas of unequal rank.

When you subordinate one part of a sentence to another, you make the dependent clause develop the main clause. Subordination helps you develop your ideas, trace relationships among ideas, and emphasize one idea over the other.

Therefore, you will want to use subordination to give your writing (and speech!) greater logic, coherence, and unity.

As with sentence coordination, sentence subordination calls for logic and thought.

Follow these four steps to subordinate sentence ideas:

1. First choose the idea or clause that you think is the most important.

2. Then make this your main clause by adding a subject or verb, if necessary. Make sure the main clause expresses a complete idea, too.

3. Choose the subordinating conjunction that best expresses the relationship between the main clause and the dependent clause.

4. Decide whether to place the main clause or the dependent clause first. See which order helps you achieve your purpose and appeal to your audience.

There are many subordinating conjunctions, including after, although, because, before, if, though, since, when, till, unless, wherever, where. The following chart shows some of the most common subordinating conjunctions and the relationships between ideas that they show.

With practice, you’ll discover that some sentences are smoother and more logical than others. Study the following examples:

Not subordinated: It snowed all night. School was closed the following day.

Subordinated: Because it snowed all night, school was closed the following day.

Since it snowed all night, school was closed the following day.

Not subordinated: About two million dollars had been bet on the Cincinnati Reds to win. The White Sox were favored five to one.

Subordinated: Even though the White Sox were favored five to one, about two million dollars had been bet on the Cincinnati Reds to win.

Although the White Sox were favored five to one, about two million dollars had been bet on the Cincinnati Reds to win.

Not subordinated: A tornado can pick up a house and drop it hundreds of feet away. These are extremely dangerous storms.

Subordinated: Since a tornado can pick up a house and drop it hundreds of feet away, these are extremely dangerous storms.

Not subordinated: The case was finally tried. The three men denied having made any confessions. They denied having been involved in any way in the rigging scheme. There was no proof against them.

Subordinated: When the case was finally tried, the three men denied having made any confessions. They also denied having been involved in any way in the rigging scheme because there was no proof against them.

When the case was finally tried, the three men denied having made any confessions and having been involved in any way in the rigging scheme because there was no proof against them.

Not subordinated: A tornado is one of the smallest of all types of storms. It is one of the most dangerous of all storms because of its swiftly spinning winds and unpredictable path.

Subordinated: Even though a tornado is one of the smallest of all types of storms, it is one of the most dangerous of all storms because of its swiftly spinning winds and unpredictable path.

Be careful not to switch the main clause and the dependent clause when you subordinate. If you put the main idea in a dependent clause, your sentence will not be logical.

Illogical:   Because people stared at her, Rikki wore a see-through blouse.

Cause and effect are reversed, so the sentence doesn’t make sense.

Logical:   Because Rikki wore a see-through blouse, people stared at her.