Subordinate Clause Examples

A clause can be found in any sentence. Depending on the nature of the statement, some sentences feature more than one clause.

Clauses, as you are aware, are classified into two kinds: main clauses and subordinate clauses or dependent clauses

This article will explain what subordinate clauses are and how to utilize them in sentences.

A dependent phrase is a group of words that comprises the nouns, verbs, subordinating conjunctions, or relative pronouns, as well as other parts of speech and determiners. It is merely a sentence component, primarily used to provide context for the remaining of the statement.

The term "subordinate clause" is one that you are likely to run into when learning English grammar. This may appear to be a difficult topic at first, but the subordinate clause is simple to explain and understand. In this article, we'll study this sort of clause's description as well as some useful examples to demonstrate how it might be utilized in a sentence.

What Is a Subordinate Clause?

A clause that depends on the main clause to complete a sentence is referred to as a subordinate clause. A subordinate clause cannot construct a complex sentence by itself. This kind of sentence, which is sometimes referred to as a dependent clause, has a verb and a subject like every other clause does. This kind of clause is often used to amplify a sentence's content.

Types of Subordinate Clauses

Subordinate clause or dependent clause may be divided into different kinds on the basis of the role they serve in the statement. The kinds of subordinate clauses are:

1. Noun clauses
2. Adjective clauses
3. Adverb clauses

Noun Clauses

Noun clauses are nouns that express an individual, location, thing, or idea. Noun clauses frequently begin with how that, or wh-words (who, why, what, whoever, etc.) Subordinating conjunctions may also be used to begin sentences.

Commas are not used to separate noun clauses from the remaining of phrase.

As an example:

Wherever you like to drink is alright with me.

The subject of the phrase in this example is "Whenever you wish to eat," which is a noun clause that represents the location.

It might be replaced with a real place: "Bar Coholo is alright with me. "

Here are some more noun clause instances :

1. What the guest of honor said made the suitor laugh.
2. Whoever gets the part will do an excellent job.
3. Do you have any idea how far that is ?
4. I'm not sure what you mean.
5. They have realized that lying is unethical.

Adjective Clauses

Adjective clauses, as you might expect, function as adjectives. They alter the noun or pronoun and respond with "which one?" or "what kind?"

Adjective clauses are sometimes known as relative clauses since they typically begin with a relative pronoun. That, where, when, who, whom, whose, which, and why are instances of relative pronouns.

Adjective Clauses can be Essential and Non-Essential

Some adjective clauses are required components of a sentence. The meaning of the statement would alter if they were not present. There is no need for punctuation in crucial sentences. As an example:

• The fruits that we selected the other dayhave decayed.
• I dislike people who speak negatively about someone else.

If you delete the relative clauses, the meanings of the phrases may become ambiguous or altered totally.

The adjective clause 'that we selected the other day' identifies the fruits the speaker refers to in the first case. If "we" had gathered some fruits and purchased others at the shop, that clause is critical for determining which fruits have decayed.

In the next example, omitting the clause results in the sentence ", I dislike people." However, this is a misunderstanding of the speaker's meaning. As a result, the adjective clause is critical for conveying the sentence's true meaning.

Non-essential adjective clauses just add details about the noun they modify; their existence or absence has no effect on the sentence's meaning. Non-essential clauses are separated by commas and give additional but not absolutely vital information. As an example:

The kid, who had performed admirably throughout the term, failed the examination.

The prosecco, which is quite costly, is tasty.

The message in the first case is that the student failed the exam. The objective of the second is that the prosecco is tasty. Each sentence's subordinate clauses merely provide extra details about the student and the prosecco.

In case you're wondering, essential and non-essential clauses are also known as restrictive and non-restrictive clauses.

Adverb Clauses

Possibly, adverb clauses operate as adverb, explaining the where, when, why, how, and to what extent, and altering the verb, adjective, or another adverb. Subordinating conjunctions are terms that connect both dependent and independent clauses by creating a connection between the two clauses. The connection can be focused on time or location, a condition, a concession, a cause/effect relation, or a comparative relationship.

Because, since, if, whenever, even if, till, while, as long as, and though are some typical subordinating conjunctions.

The below-mentioned sentences are examples of subordinate sentences regarding the monster predicament, which are adverb clauses; these adverb clauses respond to the question "why?"

There was nothing left for me since he ate all the tasty sweets by himself.

Since he ate all the tasty sweets by himself. (explains or alters why there was nothing left )

Because I was in the way of the beast, all I got was old sweets.

Because I was in the way of the beast(explains the reason why I couldn't get the sweets )

Because the dependent clause appears before the independent clause in these examples, a comma is necessary after the dependent clause.

Here are some more subordinate adverb clause instances. Because the independent clause occurs first in these, no comma is needed.

1. You can go to the celebration as long as you return home within time.
2. I become lost in time whenever I go to celebrations.
3. Don't lose count this time if you wish to be permitted out again.

Subordinate Clause Examples

It's vital to consider how a subordinate clause is utilized in order to fully comprehend how it works. For your convenience, we'll now examine a few sentences where the subordinate clause has been bolded.

1. I met my spouse in Paris, where he was brought up from a young age.
2. Once my sister completes her assignment, we will go swimming.
3. My daughter has to be in at 8 o clock because I told her to do so.
4. Sam got her first pet when he was three years old.
5. You must take a raincoat because it will pour today.
6. This is Jenny, who is my sister.
7. You will be able to purchase a vehicle if you qualify for your driving exam.
8. When I go to the market, I may buy some cheese.
9. I cannot wear these jeans because it is too loose.
10. The flowers blossom on the trees because it is spring.
11. My sister felt sick because she drank too many sugary drinks.
12. The duty is with whoever is looking after the kids.
13. You can go to the celebration as long as you have finished your projects.
14. I will take my kitty to the doctor before I go to the office.
15. I can finally pay my allowances now that my pending payments have been cleared.
16. I will go to the pool if it is bright and cozy.
17. She doesn't like roses even though he is a flower seller.
18. It won't pour unless we have a terrace party.
19. We eat veggies whenever we watch a film.
20. The desktop stopped functioning when the light went out.
21. Budapest is a place which is in Europe.
22. She will wait for her brother while he has her treatment.
23. Whenever you come is alright with us.
24. If the puppy barks, you must feed it.
25. My uncle, who lives in Canada, likes European culture.
26. While she sleeps, my sister snores very gently.
27. After I read this novel, my buddy asked me about the subject.
28. I watched the serial before I went to Gym.
29. I caught the rat, although I was scared of it.
30. What the thief did was astonishing to society.

Here are a few more examples of subordinate clauses that can help you better understand the concept

1. After watching a horror movie, I was scared.
2. Can you correct these answer sheets if you have time ?
3. In case you are coming, we can go together.
4. Are you visiting the exhibition that I told you about yesterday ?
5. Unless Sheena is alright with scoring fewer marks, she should not be absent from the course too much.
6. She constantly knocked on the door though her family requested her not to.
7. I met the Professor who taught me English in school.
8. As soon as I got to know about your situation, I rushed to meet you.
9. Martha did not go to school as she was busy in packing bags.
10. No one was listening to the Professor because she had been giving the lecture for too long.

Your Writing and Subordinate Clauses

Subordinate clauses allow you to vary your sentence construction, making your writings more fascinating, engaging, and complex.

Writing that uses the same sentence pattern over and again can get tedious very quickly. And you don't really want your readers to doze off!