Clauses: Kinds and Types

Coordination and Subordination

Language Network
Pg. 92
Kinds of Clauses
 Independent Clause – Contains a subject, a
verb, conveys a complete thought, and is also
know as a complete sentence
 Subordinate Clause - Contains a subject and a
verb but does not express a complete
thought.
Types of Clauses
 Adjective Clause – is a subordinate clause
used as an adjective to modify a noun or
pronoun
 Adverb Clause – is a subordinate clause used
as an adverb to modify an adjective, adverb, or
a verb
 Noun Clause – is a subordinate clause used as
a noun.
Coordination
 Coordination is used to join two independent
clauses together.
 The sentences are joined with a coordinating
conjunction (FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or,
Yet, So) + a comma.
Examples
 Two independent clauses: The Daily Show is
popular. It is more entertaining than reality.

 Joined through coordination: The Daily Show is

popular, and it is more entertaining than
reality.
Subordination
 A subordinate clause (dependant clause)
contains a subject and a verb, but does not
express a complete thought.
 Like coordination, subordination is a way to
join short sentences with related ideas into a
longer, more sophisticated sentence.
Examples
 Subordinate clause: because he was accepted
into the Officer Training Program

 *If we left that sentence alone, it would be

called a fragment. Why?
 We will join this subordinate clause to an
independent clause to make it a complete
thought. We join subordinate clauses with
subordinating conjunctions!
Example and Subordinating
Conjunctions
 Example: Patti is proud of her son because he
was accepted into the Officer Training
Program
 Subordinating conjunctions: After, Although, As,
Because, Before, Until, When, Where, While,
Since, and there are others.
Where does the subordinating clause
go in a sentence?
 When a subordinate clause ends the sentence,
it usually does not need to be preceded by a
comma (,).
 You can also put a subordinating conjunction
and a subordinating clause at the beginning of
a new sentence. When the dependant clause
comes first, use a comma to separate it from
the rest of the sentence.
Example
 When I eat out, I usually have steak.
 Identify the subordinating conjunction,
subordinating clause, and the independent
clause.
Answers…
 When (Subordinating conjunction)
 I eat out (Subordinating clause)

 I usually eat steak. (Independent clause)

Who are my winners?

Why do we need to know this?

 Using subordination creates variety in your

sentence structure, and gives your writing
style.
There are other ways to create variety

 You can use a prepositional phrase, infinitive phrase,

participle phrase, and a gerund phrase to start any
sentence!
 Prepositional phrase: Through the woods
 Infinitive phrase (to + a verb) To win is my passion
 Participle phrase: The screaming goat was caught in the
fence.
 Gerund phrase: Swimming is my worst fear
 Appositive Phrase: Sharon, my friend.
Adjective Clauses
 Adjectives tell: which  Essential and
one, how many, how nonessential adjective
much, or what kind clauses:
 A subordinate clause  “That” is used to
that is used to modify a
noun or pronoun. introduce an essential
clause (No comma)
 Words that introduce
adjective clauses: who,  “Which” is used to
whom, whose, that, introduce a nonessential
which, when, where, clause. (Comma)
why.
Adverb Clauses
 Adverbs tell: where,  Subordinative
why, how, when, or to conjunctions are used
what degree something to introduce an adverb
was done clause. Look on pg. 96
 A subordinate clause at the table for
used to modify a verb, examples.
adjective or adverb
Classwork:
On pg. 97,
1-10 A.
Write the adjective or adverb clause and the
word those modify.
Example:
1. Who have family trees / ones