There are multiple forms of conjunctions that serve a different function depending on the type of sentences they are used in. In this article we will learn about subordinating conjunctions examples.
Subordinating Conjunctions are conjunctions used to connect two clauses, wherein the second clause happens to be a subordinating clause.
A subordinating clause is similar to most clauses on a technical basis, as in, it happens to have a noun as well as a verb, however, unlike most clauses it cannot stand alone or does not make sense independently. Hence, it is connected to the first clause with the help of a subordinating conjunction.
Let us take a further, more in-depth look into the numerous subordinating conjunctions examples and functions.
- Mark went to the museum before the sun had set.
- I love my cat as much as I love my dog.
- My brother reached his office after the celebration was over.
- My sister let me borrow her book as long as I returned it to her in a week.
- My boss has asked me to complete the task as soon as I am back from vacation.
- The residents were asked to leave the premises because of a fire safety drill.
- John wanted to be the main character of the play as he had practiced for it.
- Although he is younger, he seems to be far more intelligent than me.
- His daughter was only allowed to go out and play with her friends if she finished her homework.
- I took an interest in dancing when I was four years old.
- He did not know the way to the store until he asked for directions.
- I cannot make him the task-manager unless he proves his capability to me.
- Her three children started dancing whenever she played their favorite song.
- My little cousin follows me wherever I go.
- This is the hotel where your favorite film star was staying at.
- She did not go to the party since she lived far.
Mark went to the museum before the sun had set.
The word ‘before’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘the sun had set’ to the main clause ‘Mark went to the museum.’
Note: Sentences where two clauses are connected with a subordinating conjunction are called ‘Complex Sentences’.
I love my cat as much as I love my dog.
The phrase ‘as much as’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘I love my dog’ to the main clause ‘I love my cat.’
Note: Sometimes phrases may function as subordinating conjunctions too.
My brother reached his office after the celebration was over.
The word ‘after’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘the celebration was over’ to the main clause ‘My brother reached his office.’
Note: Subordinating clauses are always dependent on the main clause of a sentence.
My sister let me borrow her book as long as I returned it to her in a week.
The phrase ‘as long as’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘I returned it to her in a week’ to the main clause ‘My sister let me borrow her book.’
Note: A subordinating clause can function as a subordinating clause only if it consists of a subordinating conjunction. For Example: ‘as long as I returned it to her in a week’ is a clause that does not make sense on its own and had to be connected to the main clause.
My boss has asked me to complete the task as soon as I am back from vacation.
The phrase ‘as soon as’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘I am back from vacation’ to the main clause ‘My boss has asked me to complete the task.’
Note: The two clauses’ sans the subordinating clause make sense by themselves.
‘My boss has asked me to complete the task.’
‘I am back from vacation.’
Adding the subordinating conjunction ‘as long as’ to the beginning of second clause is what transforms it into a subordinating clause and furthermore a complex sentence.
The residents were asked to leave the premises because of a fire safety drill.
The word ‘because’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘of a fire safety drill’ to the main clause ‘The residents were asked to leave the premises.’
Note: Most subordinating conjunctions help subordinate clauses to function as informational, that is the subordinate clause usually attaches further information to the main clause as seen in the aforementioned sentence.
“The residents were asked to leave the premises…”
(“Why?”)
“…because of a fire safety drill.”
John wanted to be the main character of the play as he had practiced for it.
The word ‘as’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘he had practiced for it’ to the main clause ‘John wanted to be the main character of the play.’
Note: Subordinate clauses tend to provide a cause to the effect of the main clauses. This cause to effect is achieved with the help of subordinating conjunctions.
In the above sentence the effect here is ‘John’ wanting to be the main character of a play and the cause is that he practiced for it. This cause and effect are attached together with the help of the conjunction ‘as’.
Although he is younger, he seems to be far more intelligent than me.
The word ‘although’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘he is younger’ to the main clause ‘he seems to be far more intelligent than me.’
Note: Sometimes a sentence may start with a subordinating conjunction. This mostly happens when a sentence is written in passive voice. This does not mean that the clause with the subordinating conjunction is a main clause. In this case, the second clause ‘he seems to be far more intelligent than me’ is still the main clause.
These first 8 sentences gave us an in-depth explanation on the theory of functionality of subordinating conjunctions. Here are 8 more sentences that apply the same aforementioned explanations as far as subordinating conjunctions and clauses are concerned.
Read more on Gerund Phrase Examples
His daughter was only allowed to go out and play with her friends if she finished her homework.
The word ‘if’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘finished her homework’ to the main clause ‘His daughter was only allowed to go out and play with her friends.’
I took an interest in dancing when I was four years old.
The word ‘when’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘I was four years old’ to the main clause ‘I took an interest in dancing.’
He did not know the way to the store until he asked for directions.
The word ‘until’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘he asked for directions’ to the main clause ‘He did not know the way to the store.’
I cannot make him the task-manager unless he proves his capability to me.
The word ‘unless’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘he proves his capability to me’ to the main clause ‘I cannot make him the task-manager.’
Her three children started dancing whenever she played their favorite song.
The word ‘whenever’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘the she played their favourite song’ to the main clause ‘Her three children started dancing.’
My little cousin follows me wherever I go.
The word ‘wherever’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘I go’ to the main clause ‘My little cousin follows me.’
This is the hotel where your favorite film star was staying at.
The word ‘where’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘your favourite film star was staying at’ to the main clause ‘This is the hotel.’
She did not go to the party since she lived far.
The word ‘since’ is a subordinating conjunction as it connects the clause ‘she lived far’ to the main clause ‘She did not go to the party.’
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