Name: _________________________ Date: __________________

Section:_________________________

UIN SuKa
Analytic Grammar
FORMING COMPLEX SENTENCES WITH SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

Definitions:

• Independent Clause: An independent clause is a group of words that

contains a subject and a verb, expresses a complete thought, and can
stand alone as a sentence.

• Dependent Clause: A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a

subject and a verb, does not express a complete thought, and cannot
stand alone as a sentence.

• Complex Sentence: A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one

independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

• Subordinate Clause: A dependent clause that begins with a

subordinating conjunction. Since subordinate clauses are adverbial, they
may appear at the beginning or end of a complex sentence.

TABLE OF SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

USED TO
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
EXPRESS:

Time: After, As, As soon as, Before, Once, Since, Until, When,
While, As long as

Manner: As, As if, As though, Like

Cause and Although, Though, Whereas, While, Except, That

Effect:
Condition: Because, In that, Now that, Since, So that

Condition: If, In case, Provided (that), Unless

Purpose: So that, In order that

Comparison: As…as, More than, Less than, Than

(Source: Klammer, Thomas P., Shultz, Muriel R., Della Volpe, Angela.. Analyzing English Grammar.
Pearson Education, 2007.)
Punctuating Complex Sentences with Subordinating Conjunctions:

• If a subordinate clause appears at the beginning of a complex sentence, it

must be separated from the independent clause by a comma.

Example: After she finished her homework, Monica went shopping.

• In general, if a subordinate clause appears after the independent clause

in a compound sentence, no comma is needed.

Example: Monica went shopping after she finished her homework.

Note on punctuation: If the subordinating conjunction in a complex sentence is

whereas, though, although, or even though, a comma is needed to show separation
between the two clauses.

Exercises
Circle the subordinating conjunctions in the following sentences then
underline the independent clause.

Then rewrite the sentences by changing the order of the clauses and
punctuate as needed. Refer to the rules and table above if you need help. NOTE:
This table does not include every subordinating conjunction.

1. John tried hard to finish his super fudge sundae, though it seemed an impossible
task.

Though it seemed an impossible task, John tried hard to finish his super
fudge sundae.

2. I will pay you back as soon as I get the money.

3. Until I started going to class regularly, I performed poorly on the weekly quizzes.

4. Even though she had a ten-page paper to write, Mary went to the movies with
friends.

5. Before he was a famous writer, John Steinbeck was a maintenance man.

San José State University Writing Center http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/ Written by Greg Pensinger
6. After she graduates this year, Julie will work in her father’s law firm.

7. Because he already had horns and a forked tail, Sheldon decided to dress up as a
devil for Halloween.

8. Even though Norbert hadn't done it, he told his friends he was the one who stole
the cookies.

9. Wherever he went, Johnny Cucumberseed planted cucumbers.

10. Don't push that button unless you want something dreadful to happen.

11. I could get all A’s in English if only I could remember to study before the test.

12. Once I figured out how to ride a unicycle, riding a bicycle was easy.

13. Spring can't be far behind now that winter's here.

14. Henry can do his homework as long as he has music blasting from the
speakers.

15. Whenever the cat screamed in the back yard, the dog began to howl.

16. Although I look like a human being, I am actually a goblin king.

San José State University Writing Center http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/ Written by Greg Pensinger