Subordinating Conjunctions
Essential Question
How do we express an idea that depends on another idea?
Grammar in the World
As you read this cartoon, think about why Brian's friend is having so much trouble understanding him.
Did you figure out the problem? Brian is only using dependent clauses when he speaks. Each of the sentences he speaks also needs an independent clause to go with the dependent clause. Without the independent clause, these sentences just don't make sense. The type of word that links these two types of clauses is a subordinating conjunction.
Here is what our friend Brian was trying to say:
I am going to watch Sesame Street today after school because I am babysitting my little brother. Since I was a kid, I have loved that show. My favorite character is Cookie Monster though I also like Grover.
What Do I Know?
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Sesame Street Characters in New York, 2017
Use the interactive below to see how much you already know about subordinating conjunctions:
Building Blocks
Grammar is a complex system and structure of language. Mizzou Academy Grammar Lab spotlights one skill (or block) at a time. It is also helpful to see how each skill works together with other, related blocks to build the language structure as a whole. You may find the following resource topics helpful as context for this lesson:
- Conjunctions
- Independent Clauses
- Dependent Clauses
- Complex Sentences
- Commas in Complex Sentences
- Identifying Run-On Sentences
- Identifying Choppy Writing
Learn About Subordinating Conjunctions
| Types of Conjunctions | |
| Coordinating Conjunction |
A coordinating conjunction is a word that links words, phrases, or clauses of equal weight:
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| Correlative Conjunction |
Correlative conjunctions are words that work in pairs to show relationships between words, phrases, or clauses.
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| Subordinating Conjunction |
Subordinating conjunctions are words that link a dependent clause to an independent clause. For example, when we look at what Brian was saying in the cartoon above, we know that his sentences didn't make sense because he was missing the independent clauses. But let's take a closer look at the subordinating conjunctions that link these two types of clauses. How do they help the listener (or reader) know what type of information will follow? I am going to watch Sesame Street today after school because I am babysitting my little brother. Since I was a kid, I have loved that show. My favorite character is Cookie Monster although I also enjoy Grover. |
Purpose of Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions have three main jobs in a sentence.
- They add a significant clarification to the main idea.
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- If our main idea is that cookies are Cookie Monster’s favorite food, but we also want to show that he likes vegetables, we can say:
→ Even though Cookie Monster appreciates a healthy vegetable, his favorite food is a chocolate chip cookie.
→ One character is named Aloysius though you probably call him Snuffy.
- They show a cause-effect relationship (i.e. they answer the question "why" about the main clause).
→ Because it is his home, Oscar the Grouch spends a lot of time in a trash can.
→ You may think the voice of Yoda sounds familiar since the same voice actor performed both Yoda in Star Wars and Bert in Sesame Street.
- They show a change in time or place (i.e. they answer the question "when" about the main clause).
→ Whenever Super Grover flies, he usually ends up crashing into something.
→ Sesame Street originated in the United States before expanding to over 150 countries.
Examples:
There are many subordinating conjunctions. You can remember the most common ones with the acronym AAAWWUBBIS.
Do I Get It?
What have you learned so far about subordinating conjunctions? Take this short quiz to find out.
Read each of the following sentences and choose the best subordinating conjunction to complete each Sesame Street fun fact.