Quick Clues To English
LBCC Developmental Studies
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence because the
idea requires finishing in order to make sense. Most dependant
clauses start with a subordinating conjunction such as:
after
ever since
until
although
how
what
as
if
whatever
as if
in order that
when
as long as
like (means as)
whenever
as soon as
once
whereas
as though
since
wherever
because
so that
whether
before
than
whichever
even if
though
while
even though
unless
why
If we add a subordinating conjunction to an independent clause, it
becomes a dependent clause.
We arrived at school. = independent clause
[when we arrived at school] = dependent clause
[before we arrived at school] = dependent clause
Dependent clauses are fragments. They are not sentences. To fix
the fragment, attach it to an independent clause:
[When we arrived at school], we went straight to the
Learning Center.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS
A dependent clause can also begin with one of these relative
pronouns.
who/whom whose which where that
Most of these relative pronouns (who/whom, whose, which, where)
can be used in two ways:
1. They can start a question, which is a sentence by itself.
Who left this message?
Which car is yours?
2. They can start a dependent clause, which is not a sentence
by itself (a fragment).
...who had left the message yesterday (a fragment)
...which was my car (a fragment)
These words only start sentences if they are questions. If the
clause starting with one of these words is not a question,
then it is a dependent clause (a fragment).
The word that has many uses, but it does not start questions.
1. When it identifies the word right after it, it is used to
describe that word.
That car is yours. (Which car?...that car)
2. But when it doesn’t identify the word, it will usually
start a dependent clause.
[that the car is yours] (a fragment)
To fix the fragment, attach it to an independent clause:
I can’t believe [that the car is yours].
Punctuating Dependent Clauses
When a dependent clause that is created with a subordinating
conjunction comes before the independent clause, it is an
introductory group and needs a comma.
[DC], IC. (DC = introductory group)
ex: [When we arrived at school], we headed for the gym.
IC [DC]. (DC follows IC, no comma)
ex: We headed for the gym [when we arrived at school].
Remember: place a comma between an introductory dependent
clause and the independent clause only when the dependent clause
comes first.
Punctuating a Relative Pronouns dependent clause can be tricky.
Remember words like who, whom, whose, which, that, where link
a descriptive clause to a word that comes before it:
Children [who watch TV all day] often don=t read well.
[who watch TV all day] describes Achildren.
We fed the birds [which visited our yard].
[which visited our yard] describes Abirds@.
If the relative clause is not necessary to identify the word it
describes, we set it off with commas on both sides:
Not necessary (needs commas):
Andrea Jones, [whom I met after the game], will probably meet us
at Woodstock=s. (not needed because her name identifies her)
Necessary (no commas):
The math tutor [whom I met after the game] will probably meet us
at Woodstock=s. (necessary to identify which math tutor)
