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Learn to use subordinating conjunctions to show relationships between ideas like time and cause.
Imagine you have two separate train cars. They look okay on their own, but they can't travel across the country unless you use a special 'hitch' to connect them. In writing, words like 'because' and 'since' are those hitches that turn simple ideas into powerful journeys!
To build a complex sentence, we first need to understand clauses. An independent clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb and makes sense all by itself—like a complete thought. A dependent clause also has a subject and a verb, but it starts with a special 'hitch' word that makes it feel unfinished. It 'depends' on the rest of the sentence to make sense. Think of it like this: while . When we combine them, we create a complex sentence.
Quick Check
Is 'Because it was raining' an independent clause or a dependent clause?
Answer
It is a dependent clause because it starts with 'because' and does not express a complete thought.
The 'hitches' we use to join these clauses are called subordinating conjunctions. These words show the relationship between the two ideas. Because and since usually explain why something happened (cause and effect). Although shows a contrast or a surprise. For example, in the sentence 'I wore a coat because it was cold,' the word 'because' tells us the reason for the coat. These words act as a bridge between a result and its reason.
Let's join two simple ideas: 1. Idea A: I stayed inside. 2. Idea B: It was too hot. 3. Combined: I stayed inside because it was too hot.
Quick Check
Which conjunction would you use to show a surprise: 'I finished my homework ___ I was very tired'?
Answer
Although
You can flip your complex sentences around! You can put the 'hitch' at the very beginning. However, there is a special rule: if the dependent clause comes first, you must use a comma to separate it from the independent clause.
Formula 1: Formula 2:
Example: 'Since it is lunch time, we should eat.' Notice the comma after 'time'!
1. Start with: 'We went to the park although it was cloudy.' 2. Move the hitch to the front: 'Although it was cloudy...' 3. Add the comma: 'Although it was cloudy, we went to the park.'
Choppy sentences: 'The cat meowed. It was hungry. I gave it food.' Improved Flow: 1. Combine the first two: 'The cat meowed because it was hungry.' 2. Add the result: 'The cat meowed because it was hungry, so I gave it food.' 3. Alternative: 'Since the cat was hungry, it meowed until I gave it food.'
Which of these is a subordinating conjunction?
Where does the comma go in this sentence: 'Since I am fast I won the race.'
An independent clause can be a complete sentence on its own.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to explain to a friend what the 'Comma Rule' is for sentences starting with 'Although'.
Practice Activity
Look at a book you are reading. Can you find three sentences that use the words 'because', 'since', or 'although'?