Subordination: Joining Clauses of Unequal Importance
Sentences hold your thoughts. Craft them with care.
Subordination is the joining of an independent clause with a dependent clause. A dependent clause is an incomplete thought; it can never stand alone. A dependent clause begins with a subordinatorA subordinator is a conjunction--connecting word--that marks the clause as dependent.
and must be attached to an independent clause.
There are three types of dependent clauses: • Adverb clauses
• Adjective clauses • Noun clauses
Type I: Adverb Clauses--Note the punctuation patterns:
Mr. Clinton apologized to the people of Rwanda because his administration had failed to intervene during the 1994 genocide.
Concession
although, even though, though
As a private citizen, he is working very hard to combat AIDS in Africa even though he did little during his presidency.
Comparison / Manner
as if, as though
Clinton doesn't act as if he's a man tormented by guilt: in fact, he thinks such speculation about his motives is psychobabble. NoteA clause beginning with as if or as though to express comparison or manner must follow a verb. Such a clause never begins a sentence. The clause is adverbial.
Condition
If, unless
Fewer Africans would have died if more had been done during Clinton's presidency. More Africans will die unless efforts are increased across the continent.
Place
where, wherever
Clinton is recognized wherever he goes.
Purpose
so that, in order that
The Clinton Foundation has negotiated steep cuts in the price of AIDS medicines so that the destitute in poor countries can get treatment.
Result
so...that, such....that
During the 1990s, Americans were so concerned about their own AIDS problem that they resisted spending money to fight AIDS elsewhere.
Time
When, while, before, after, until, since, as
Six times as many people can be treated for the same amount of money when countries buy drugs from Cipla, The Indian generic-drug manufacturer.
PRACTICE CHANGING SENTENCE ORDER: Now you combine the sentences, using the same subordinators as in the example sentences above, but change the order of the clauses. In other words, your sentence pattern will start with the dependent clause and require a comma:
DEPENDENT CLAUSE, INDEPENDENT CLAUSE. Having trouble? Type a ? in the blank.
1. Mr. Clinton apologized to the people of Rwanda. His administration had failed to intervene during the 1994 genocide. [Because]
2. As a private citizen, he is working very hard to combat AIDS in Africa. Clinton did little during his presidency. [Even though]
3. Fewer Africans would have died. More had been done during his presidency. [If]
4. Clinton is recognized. He goes everywhere. [Wherever]
5. The Clinton Foundation has negotiated steep cuts in the price of AIDS medicines. The destitute in poor countries can get treatment. [So...that]
NoteA purpose clause most often comes at the end of the sentence.
6. Six times as many people can be treated for the same amount of money. Countries buy drugs from Cipla, the Indian generic-drug manufacturer. [When]
7. There was greed in the U.S. pharmaceutical companies. They opposed the right of other countries to manufacture anti-AIDS drugs. [such...that] NoteYou cannot change the order of a result clause and a comma is never used.
Other options: There was so much greed in these companies that (+ the result clause)
These companies were so greedy thattheySubjectopposedVerb the right of other countries to manufacture anti-AIDS drugs.
Subordination: Joining Clauses of Unequal Importance
PRACTICE CHANGING SENTENCE ORDER: Now you combine the sentences, using the same subordinators as in the example sentences above, but change the order of the clauses. In other words, your sentence pattern will start with the dependent clause and require a comma: