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Index S
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day
- Saint John
- Saint Johner
- Saint John River
- Salish
- Salishan
- Salish Sea
- same
- Sami
- sanction
- Sask.
- Saskatchewan
- Saskatchewaner
- Saskatchewanian
- satisfaction in
- satisfaction of
- satisfied with
- Saultite
- Sault Ste. Marie
- Scando-
- sceptic
- Scoto-
- scrutiny
- seasonable
- seasonably
- seasonal
- seasonally
- secure against
- secure from
- secure in
- seem
- segue
- Segway
- seismo-
- seldom
- seldomly
- semi-
- semi-annual
- semicolon
- sensual
- sensuous
- sentence fragment
- septic
- Serb
- Serbian
- Serbo-
- Serbo-Croatian
- serial commas
- serif fonts
- serve
- serve to illustrate
- service
- serviceable
- sesqui-
- set
- several different
- sex
- sharp
- sharply
- signed at
- signed in
- simile
- simple sentence
- sink
- sink down
- Sino-
- sit
- SK
- skijoring
- slippery slope
- so as an adverb
- socio-
- solstice
- somber
- sombre
- some
- somni-
- son-
- soni-
- sono-
- Sons of the Clergy Islands
- Soo
- sort of
- sorts of
- spacing
- spacing with periods
- spans of time
- speak
- specific example
- specter
- spectre
- speculate about
- speculate in
- speculate on
- speculate upon
- spelling: able/ible and ative/itive endings
- spelling: combinations with all
- spelling: final consonants doubled before a suffix
- spelling: frequently misspelled words
- spelling: international variations
- spelling: plurals of foreign nouns
- spelling: SI/metric units
- spelling: spell-checking
- spelling: verbs ending in ie
- spelling: verbs ending in sede
- spelling: words ending in a silent e
- spelling: words ending in c
- spelling: words ending in -ise and -ize
- spelling: words ending in n
- spelling: words ending in y
- spelling: words with ei and ie
- spring
- square brackets
- Stampede City
- standard time
- stanza
- start
- stationary
- stationery
- stay-at-home
- steal
- St. John’s
- St. John’san
- St. John’ser
- strata
- stratum
- streets and buildings: abbreviations and numbers
- sub-
- subject (1)
- subject (2)
- subject area
- subject complement
- subjected to
- subject predicate order
- subject to
- subordinating conjunctions
- subsequent
- subsequent to
- substitute for
- successful achievement
- successfully achieve
- sucr-
- sucro-
- sudden impulse
- suggest that
- suited for
- suited to
- summer
- summer time
- sum total
- super-
- supposably
- supposedly
- surprise
- surrounded
- surrounded on all sides
- Swedo-
- sym-
- sympathetic to
- sympathetic toward(s)
- sympathize with
- sympathy between
- sympathy for
- sympathy with
- syn-
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subordinating conjunctions
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The word conjunction comes from a Latin root meaning “join.” In grammar, a conjunction is a joining word.
Definition
A subordinating conjunction is a joining word that connects two clauses of unequal value. (A clause is a word group containing a subject and a verb.) The clause that begins with the subordinating conjunction is called a subordinate (or dependent) clause. It is less important than the other clause, which is called the main (or independent) clause.
Example
For example, consider these two clauses:
- Audrey lit up a cigarette.
- Henry grabbed the fire extinguisher.
Although they are grammatically equal, these two independent clauses don’t express equally important ideas. The second clause seems to be the main idea, and the first clause seems merely secondary.
We can join these clauses of unequal value into a single sentence by placing the subordinating conjunction as at the beginning of the less important idea:
- As Audrey lit up a cigarette, Henry grabbed the fire extinguisher.
The first clause is now a subordinate, or dependent, clause. It is no longer grammatically equal to the main clause because it cannot stand alone. For that reason, it must be joined to the main clause so that the two clauses form a single sentence. (Left by itself, a subordinate clause is a fragment, a common type of sentence error.)
Common subordinating conjunctions
Some of the most common subordinating conjunctions are shown below, grouped into categories according to the relationships they express. (In the examples, the subordinate clauses are in square brackets, and the conjunctions are in italics.)
Cause: as, because, since
- [Because Heinrich’s joints were creaking], he oiled them.
Comparison: as, than
- Lacey won’t win the contest by eating perogies faster [than Hank can count].
Condition: if, provided (that), unless
- [If you plot revenge], be prepared to dig two graves. (Chinese proverb)
Concession: although, (even) though, whereas, while
- [Although Gordon watered his cactus regularly], it didn’t thrive.
Manner: as, as if, as though
- Sylvester looked pleased, [as if he had swallowed a canary].
Place: where, wherever
- [Wherever the mice laugh at the cat], there you will find a hole. (Portuguese proverb)
Purpose: in order that, so that
- Jessica is learning to moonwalk [so that she can become an astronaut].
Time: after, as, before, once, since, till, until, when, while
- Greta’s letters are less regular [since she moved to Come-by-Chance].
Other: that (used to introduce a clause that functions as a noun)
- After her offer to lend him a toque, Eric suspected [that Lauren didn’t like his new haircut].
Subordinating conjunctions vs. prepositions
Some subordinating conjunctions (especially those expressing time) can also act as prepositions. As prepositions, they introduce a phrase without a subject and verb:
- after work
- before closing time
- since our arrival
- until lunchtime
As conjunctions, they introduce a clause containing a subject and verb:
- after you get off work
- before the bank closes
- since we arrived
- until lunch is served
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