Subordinate Clauses

A subordinate clause is a clause on the bottom level. It cannot live by itself.

Top Level (co-level)	main clause / independent clause
Bottom Level (sub-level)	subordinate clause / dependent clause

 

A subordinate clause consists of two parts. Study the following examples:

Subordinate Clauses
Subordinating Conjunction	The Clause Part (of the Subordinate Clause)
although	I was tired
because	he was wrong
even though	Henry studied hard
if	Mandy goes to the Prom with Toby
lest	we forget
once	I learned the language
when	I told a joke
since	Hannah got here
whenever	I watch a movie
while	I cooked dinner

 

Instructions for the Quiz

You are given some subordinate clauses. (Subordinate clauses are not complete sentences, because they cannot stand alone). Decide if the underlined portion of the clause is the

• subordinating conjunction (the word that introduces the subordinate clause)
• the clause part (of the subordinate clause)

Quiz