The Subordinate Clause: In English grammar, a subordinate clause is a type of dependent clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence but is used in conjunction with an independent clause to form a complete sentence. A subordinate clause typically begins with a subordinating conjunction, such as “after,” “although,” “because,” “if,” “since,” “unless,” “until,” or “when,” and functions as an adverb, adjective, or noun within the sentence.
There are three types of subordinate clauses: adverbial, adjectival, and nominal. An adverbial subordinate clause modifies a verb or an entire clause and functions as an adverb. For example, “Although it was raining, he went for a walk.” The subordinate clause “Although it was raining” modifies the verb “went” and tells us when the action took place.
An adjectival subordinate clause modifies a noun or pronoun and functions as an adjective. For example, “The book that I read was very interesting.” The subordinate clause “that I read” modifies the noun “book” and tells us which book was interesting.
A nominal subordinate clause functions as a noun within the sentence. It can act as the subject, object, or complement of the sentence. For example, “I know that you are telling the truth.” The subordinate clause “that you are telling the truth” acts as the direct object of the verb “know.”
It is important to note that a subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence, as it is incomplete without an independent clause. For example, “Although it was raining” is not a complete sentence, but “Although it was raining, he went for a walk” is a complete sentence.
In summary, a subordinate clause is a type of dependent clause that functions as an adverb, adjective, or noun within a sentence. It begins with a subordinating conjunction and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
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