Subordination and Coordination

Clause is an important term to understand before learning about subordination and

coordination. A clause has a subject and a verb, and all clauses are either independent
(can stand alone as a sentence) or dependent (cannot stand alone as a sentence).

Examples: When I go to the beach, I play in the waves. (dependent)
My father likes peanuts. (independent)

Subordination
Subordinate means being of a lower rank. The idea in a subordinate clause seems less
important than that of the independent clause. Note the first example above.
Subordinate and dependent are close in meaning but not precisely the same. A
subordinate clause means that it is of lesser importance than the other clauses in the
sentence. So, subordinate has to do with the relative importance of the idea in the
sentence. A dependent clause is one that grammatically cannot stand alone as a sentence.

All subordinate clauses are dependent, and vice versa.

Subordinating Conjunctions
A subordinate clause is introduced by a subordinating conjunction, a connecting word
that relates the meaning of the dependent clause to the meaning of the independent
clause. To show contrast, use a subordinator like "although" or "even though." To show
one event as the cause of another, try a subordinator like "because" or "since." Other
subordinators specify time, place, condition, and degree:
Contrast:
although
even
though
while
whereas

Cause:
because
since
as
Condition:
if
when
provided that
in case
assuming that

Negative
condition:
unless
Time:
when
whenever
while
once
before
after
since
until
as long
as
Alternative Condition:
whether
Degree:
inasmuch as
insofar as
to the extent that
Place:
where
wherever
Here are some examples of subordinate or dependent clauses:
unless you go with me
though I walk through the valley of death
because she didnt get an A
as long as that constantly-shedding cat isnt around

PRACTICE: Underline the dependent clauses in the following sentences (look for the
subordinating conjunctions listed above).

1. After dinner the other evening, I went to the market because we ran out of milk.
2. Computers make learning easier if students are computer literate.
3. Students must be computer literate because computers make learning easier.
4. Although he stabbed the intruder 4 times, he was not accused of any crime.
5. He was not accused of any crime even though the police saw him do it.
6. He was not accused of the knifing since he was dead.

* As you can see, the subordinate clause can come before or after the independent clause.

Comma Use with Subordination
When the subordinate clause comes before the independent clause, a comma is used to
separate the two.
Example: After spending hours playing with my grandson, I took a long nap.

When the subordinate clause comes after the independent clause, a comma is not used to
separate them.
Example: I took a long nap after spending hours playing with my grandson.

Occasionally, a comma may be needed to clarify meaning in a sentence or to indicate
extreme contrast. This is not very common.
Clarity: I know the accident was horrible because my mom called to tell me.
(This sounds as if the mom, by calling, made the accident horrible.)
I know the accident was horrible, because my mom called to tell me.
(The comma clarifies that the speakers mom simply called to inform.)
Contrast: He was still very upset, although he had won the Emmy.

PRACTICE: Add necessary commas and cross out those that are unnecessary.

1. When I went to school I studied my lessons.
2. I am interested in what you intend to do, after you finish making the movie.
3. My teacher was very cordial and kind, even though he was a harsh grader.
4. Because she loves sports she plays tennis, whenever she has a spare hour.
5. While waiting for the bus I almost fell asleep since I was so tired.

Coordination
Coordination, in grammar, means that two clauses in a sentence are of equal importance.
In addition, the two clauses are independent: they can grammatically stand alone. In
essence, we have two sentences that have been combined into one because they are
related or close in meaning.

Coordinating Conjunctions
The term fanboys is a memory aid to help us remember the 7 coordinating
conjunctions:

For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

These are words that, used with a comma, can link two independent clauses. Notice that
these words do not ALWAYS act as coordinating conjunctions.
Two examples are My brother loves to eat ham and eggs and I cant decide whether to
go with J im or do my homework. Sometimes, conjunctions are used to link two
subjects, two verbs, or two objects rather than two clauses.



PRACTICE: Underline the coordinating conjunctions.

1. Music is supposed to have a calming effect on people, but Im not sure that this is
true all the time.
2. Psychology and sociology are very different disciplines, yet they have several
similarities.
3. I did not believe the No from her lips, for I saw the Yes in her eyes.


PRACTICE:
Combine these two sentences using coordination to show two parallel facts.
The storm ate away at the beach.
Many homeowners abandoned their summer homes.
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Combine these two sentences using subordination to show contrast of these two ideas.
The garden looked as if it had been neglected for decades.
The vines and wildflowers gave it a strange beauty all its own.
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Combine these two sentences using subordination to show cause/effect relationship.
People are living longer in this century than in any other.
New medicines have been developed to cure or prevent fatal disease.
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Combine these two sentences using subordination to show time sequence.
The very last pastry was sold to a small child.
The shop owner locked the door and placed a sign in the window saying Closed
for the summer.
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Coordination and Subordination in Sentence Structure
COORDINATION
Option 1: Independent clause , (and, but, for, nor, or, so ,yet) independent clause
Option 2: Independent clause ; independent clause

SUBORDINATION
Option 3: Independent clause followed by a dependent clause
Option 4: Dependent clause, independent clause

EXAMPLES
Option 1: She studied for many hours before the test, so she did well.
Option 2: She studied for many hours; she did well on the exam.
Option 3: She did well on the exam because she studied for many hours.
Option 4: Because she studied for many hours, she did well on the exam.

Exercise:
Choose one of the following topics, and write your own five examples (options 1-5 from
previous page) using the specified topic.

___ Sports ___ Cars ___ Pets
___ Shopping ___ Nature ___ Music

1.______________________________________________________________________
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2.______________________________________________________________________
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3.______________________________________________________________________
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4.______________________________________________________________________
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