Do you know what a subordinate clause is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on subordinate clause, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!
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According to Grammarly, in English grammar a subordinate clause, also called a dependent clause is a part of a compound sentence, complex-compound sentences, a compound-complex sentence, or complex sentence that cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence, and is considered a sentence fragment if it is not connected to an insubordinate clause, or independent clause. These are often connected to other independent or dependent clauses by a comma and subordinate conjunction, coordinating conjunctions, or another type of punctuation like a semicolon.
Different types of subordinate clause include a noun clause that contains a general noun or specific noun, adjective clause, adverb clause, and more. Simple sentences will never be subordinate or dependent clauses, and will always be essential clauses of independent clauses, which are a complete thought and not a fragment. Subordinate clauses provide additional information, extra detail, or extra information but the meaning of the sentence cannot stand on its own. Examples of main clauses will be those that have both a subject and a predicate, and the meaning of the main clause can stand on its own.
Many different languages also contain words that mean subordinate clause. You may notice that some of these translations of subordinate clause look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates, which are words and phrases in different languages that likely have the same root or language of origin, causing them to sound the same. The below list of translations of subordinate clause is provided by Word Sense.
subordinate clauses can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or grammatical technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! Below are a couple of examples of subordinate clauses that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use. Take a look at these subordinate clause examples from and see how many you can identify the subordinate clause in!
Learned her lesson.
Talked to Bailey.
Petting the cat on the head.
Ate some toast.
Go to the movies.
Sat on a bench.
Threw the ball to the dog.
Taped up the poster.
Sips on the coffee.
Sat beside Amy.
Took a look at it.
To buy a cookie from the grocery store.
Squishes the spider.
Puts the broccoli in the garbage disposal.
The chores of the small child.
The powerpoint and the worksheet.
The aunt with her popcorn.
A taxi in Paris.
Procrastinating his assignments.
Mom at the beach.
A capital letter written on his exam.
What are other literary techniques and devices?
There are many different literary and grammatical techniques and devices that you might see when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these terms because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these devices can help readers understand the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using such a device. Take a look at the below list of grammatical devices from OED and see how many you know! Then try researching ones that are unfamiliar to you.
Overall, a subordinate clause is an incomplete sentence or a fragment. This is not a full sentence, and needs compound elements to make it make complete sense.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
Kevin
December 29, 2021
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