In coursework writing, your capacity to analyse, arrange and express ideas is important. Analysis, organisation and articulation are subordinating conjunctions processes that you cannot separate from writing. Many writers fail to articulate these cognitive processes. They assume that the readers will recognise them, but that is not the case. You must make your thought processes evident in the sentence structures in coursework writing, where clear thinking is a top concern.
Writing with clarity is the ability to write sentences that support the point you are attempting to make in your analysis and arguments. Analysing the facts and establishing a logical relationship between them has paramount importance in coursework writing. The key is to focus on developing thoughts in your writing, which comes by subordinating ideas to others logically. For that purpose, learning about subordinating conjunctions is crucial for coursework writing. This article attempts to delineate the importance of subordinating conjunctions and how to use them in your writing.
What is a Subordinating Conjunction?
A subordinating conjunction is a part of speech that joins two clauses in a sentence in the English language. Subordinating conjunctions link dependent clauses to their main clauses. They highlight details about the sentence, such as the time, cause, or situation. Clauses with subordinate conjunctions cannot stand alone as complete sentences; rather, they are just sentence fragments. These conjunctions unite two unequal clauses, unlike coordinating conjunctions, which connect two major clauses of equal grammatical rank. If you have any issue in the usage of conjections, you can get help from coursework writing services.
Examples of subordinating conjunctions
Here are some of the common subordinating conjunctions:
- After
- Although
- As
- As if
- As long as
- As much as
- As soon as
- As though
- Because
- Before
- By the time
- Even if
- Even though
- If
- In order that
- In case
- In the event that
- Least
- Now that
- Once
- Only
- Only if
- Provide that
- Since
- So
- Supposing
- That
- Than
- Though
- Till
- Unless
- Until, when
- Whenever
- Where, whereas, wherever, whether or not
- While
Types Of Subordinating Conjunctions
You give yourself a vital tool to improve your writing when you become aware of the necessity for subordination and learn to utilise it appropriately. Various subordinate conjunctions denote various logical relationships. Let us examine different types of subordinating conjunctions common in everyday usage.
1. Comparison
Comparison conjunctions aid in the establishment of correlations by providing context for comparison. Subordinate conjunctions of comparison connect the subordinate clause to the main clause. These conjunctions compare the main clause with the subordinate clause. The following comparison conjunctions are important:
- Than
- Rather than
- Instead of
- Whether
- Although
- As much as
- Whereas
Example: He works harder than him.
2. Time
Subordinating conjunctions of time show a time relationship by connecting the main sentence to the subordinate clause. Here are some of the conjunctions that denote time:
- As soon as
- Once
- While
- When
- Whenever
- After
- Since
Example: The store remained closed after the death of the owner.
3. Concession
Concession conjunctions help redefine the main clause by adding context about the delivery circumstances. Concession conjunctions describe an action that took place despite an impediment or hindrance, such as:
- Although
- As Though
- Even Though
Example: Michael finished the task even though it was not his responsibility.
4. Reason (Cause & Effect)
Subordinating conjunctions of reason establish a cause and effect relationship by connecting the main sentence to the subordinate clause. They explain why an action occurs or the effect of an action in the main sentence by providing the rationale or the result. For example:
- Because
- Hence
- Since
- So
- So that
Example: He did not go to the office today because he was sick.
5. Place
Place conjunctions specify the whereabouts of an action in a sentence. For example:
- Where
- Wherever
Example: I will go wherever I please.
6. Condition
Condition conjunctions define the conditions under which the main clause functions. For example:
- Even if
- If
- In case
- Provided that
Example: I will let you stay provided that you pay the rent on time.
How to Use Subordinating Conjunctions in Writing?
There are some tips and tricks to use the subordinating conjunctions in your writing properly. Let’s take an overview of such tips.
1. Independent Clause + Dependent Clause
Consider the following examples:
- The mother was so relieved after she saw her son
- I want to work because I need money
It is important to remember that you must not use a comma before using subordinate conjunctions. Each term connects the ideas in the first and second parts in the examples mentioned above. The first half is an independent clause that expresses the whole idea (for example, I want to work), while the second part is a dependant clause that does not represent a complete idea.
2. Comma Usage
When inserting subordinate conjunctions into your writing, proper comma usage is critical. If you start a sentence with a subordinate clause, conclude it with a comma before moving on to the main clause. For example
“After getting a promotion, he bought a new house in the suburbs”.
3. Emphasis
You can decide the clause you want to emphasise on by using subordinate conjunctions or clauses. For example, the sentence “Since I was late, I missed the morning meeting” emphasises on the main clause. Similarly, the sentence “I missed the morning meeting because I was late” emphasises on the dependant clause.
4. Complex Sentences
Complex sentences help you connect more ideas in your writing by adding more than one dependent clause to a single independent clause. You need to follow the rules properly to represent a logical connection between the sentences. For example:
“After receiving the scholarship, the student was relieved because he did not want to work in a merchant’s shop”.
If we breakdown the above-noted example, we can observe the following:
- After receiving the scholarship (dependent clause)
- The student was relieved (independent clause)
- Because he did not want to work in a merchant’s shop (dependent clause)
Conclusion
Once you get a good grasp of subordinating conjunctions, you can make the most of it to vary the length of your sentences. As a result, your writing will become more intriguing and natural. Make sure that you do not succumb to the pitfall of run-on sentences. The key is to break down your sentences into smaller parts, but make sure that each sentence represents a complete thought. The best flow in writing comes by blending short, medium and long sentences through proper usage of conjunctions.