Grammar for Everyone - Barbara Dykes 2007

Subordinate clauses
Introduction
Part II The parts of speech

Subordinate clauses also contain a finite verb but they do not make sense on their own. They are dependent on the main clause for their meaning, but they add meaning to the main clause.

There are three kinds of subordinate clauses:

• adjectival (doing the work of an adjective)

• adverbial (doing the work of an adverb)

• noun (doing the work of a noun)

They are joined to the main clause by linking words:

• adjectival clauses are linked with relative pronouns

• adverbial clauses are linked with subordinating conjunctions

Sentence types

1. Simple sentence - contains one main clause

2. Compound sentence - contains two or more main clauses

3. Complex sentence - contains one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses

4. Compound complex - contains more than one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses