What is Subordinate Clause

What is Subordinate Clause

Clauses can be found in every sentence. A clause is a group of words with a subject and a predicate. Some clauses can express a complete idea whereas some clauses cannot. The clauses that can convey a complete thought are known as independent clauses whereas the clauses that cannot express a complete thought are known as dependent clauses or subordinate clauses.

A subordinate clause can be defined as a group of words that contain a subject and predicate but doesn’t express a complete thought. Since it does not give a complete meaning, it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. This is why a subordinate clause is always combined with an independent clause to form a meaningful sentence.

A subordinate clause generally begins with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. It is this combination that makes the clause incomplete. 

Example 1:

He laughed at me. ⇒ Independent Clause

When he laughed at me, ⇒ Subordinate/Dependent Clause

I got angry when he laughed me.⇒  Independent Clause + Subordinate/Dependent Clause

Example 2:

He won the first prize.  ⇒ Independent Clause

That he won the first prize, ⇒ Subordinate/Dependent Clause

He told me that he won the first prize. ⇒ Independent Clause + Subordinate/Dependent Clause

Given below are some conjunctions and pronouns that appear at the beginning of a subordinating clause.

after

no matter 

when

although

since

whenever

as 

so that 

where

because

supposing

whereas

before 

than

wherever

but that

that 

whether

if

though

which

in order that 

till 

while

how

unless 

why

lest

what 

who

Types of Subordinate Clauses

A subordinate clause can act as a noun, adjective or an adverb. Here are some examples of these different types of subordinate clauses.

Adjective Clause:

The girl who won the race received a grand prize.

We entered the cinema as the lights went out.

Adverb Clause:

We stayed at the beach until the sun went down.

You are safe from him while you have the gold cross.

Noun Clause:

Whatever you do makes no difference.

We have to found out who let the cat out of the bag.

What is Subordinate Clause

We stayed at the beach until the sun went down.

Examples of Subordinate Clause

Given below are some more examples of subordinate clauses

The class becomes silent when the teacher arrives.

I don’t understand why you’re doing this.

When she smiled with me, everyone started laughing.

We helped him to get out because he was a kind man.

She didn’t understand how he got elected as the president.

If the house is for sale, I’d like to buy it.

This necklace, which was given to me by grandmother, is five hundred years old.

I’ll have to do this myself since no one else volunteered for it.

Subordinate Clause – Summary

  • A subordinate clause is a group of words that contain a subject and predicate but doesn’t express a complete thought.
  • It cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.
  • A subordinate clause is also known as a dependent clause.
  • A subordinate clause begins with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun.
  • A subordinate clause can act as a noun, adjective or an adverb.

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