Directions: Add one of the subordinate conjunctions listed in the left panel in front of the first clause, and remove the period and capital letter that now separate the clauses. This combination is called a "complex sentence." Later you will be asked to move the subordinate clauses at the end. When you click "check," feedback will appear in a pop-up window, and your cumulative score will appear here.
Subordinate Conjunctions
Words that introduce clauses attach them to another clause; for this reason they are called conjunctions (Latin for "together-joiners"). Sometimes these lesser clauses can be moved without changing more than emphasis, and when this happens, we find that the conjunctions move with them. They never migrate by themselves, but when their clauses move, they move with them. The reason for this behavior is to alert us when we see one of these subordinating conjunctions that what follows is a minor idea, and the meaning of each conjunction indicates what kind of minor idea it is: a cause, a result, a condition, a time, etc. It is useful to study subordinate clauses principally to learn how to punctuate better. Manipulating words to see how they move without altering meaning greatly helps us to see what belongs with what, where boundaries between sentences lie, and which words introduce and which merely float from one place to another without introducing anything. Differences like these affect both meaning and punctuation.
Here is a list of the only subordinate conjunctions you may use in this exercise:
since
when
where
while
whereas
unless
if
although
The ice cream is too hard. You can put your bowl into the microwave for a few seconds.
Now place the first clause in your previous answer at the end of the sentence. Use the copy-and-paste function to save time and effort and to avoid spelling errors, which the computer will not recognize as trivial.
Suppose that you are to make the first clause subordinate.
The fat lady gets up to sing. Let's start moving toward the exit.
Which of the following conjunctions will you need in the sentence you have been asked to construct? There are several possible correct answers.
since
when
where
while
whereas
unless
if
although
Using that conjunction, make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
The fat lady gets up to sing. Let's start moving toward the exit.
Now move it to the end.
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
The postal rate was raised to 44¢ . A few pennies suddenly started looking significant.
Now move it to the end.
Suppose you are asked to make the first clause subordinate.
The reeds grew most densely in the bayou. A muskrat made her nest.
Which of the following conjunctions will you need in the sentence you have been asked to construct?
since
where
when
while
whereas
unless
if
although
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
The reeds grew most densely in the bayou. A muskrat made her nest.
Now we are going to shift emphasis. The main idea in the preceding sentences was that the muskrat made her nest. The sentences let us know where that happened: where the reeds were very dense, as if we could find that out for ourselves or might already know it. Now, however, we are expected to know already where the nest was made, and the sentence we will construct will tell us what is represented as new information: the density of the reeds.
When asked to make the first clause subordinate, which conjunction will you need?
A muskrat made her nest. The reeds grew most densely.
since
when
where
while
whereas
unless
if
although
Make the first clause subordinate, and PUT IT AT THE END.
A muskrat made her nest. The reeds grew most densely.
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
The hurricane is still out at sea. Most coastal towns are being evacuated.
Now move it to the end.
If asked to join the two clauses below, subordinating the first of them, what conjunction would you need?
Someone could find a way to stop the rapid progress of her disease. The beautiful child would die within a year.
since
when
where
while
whereas
unless
if
although
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
Someone could find a way to stop the rapid progress of her disease. The beautiful child would die within a year.
Now move it to the end.
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
The other dogs kept a safe distance away. Old Miska flung himself furiously upon the wolf.
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
They filed slowly by the coffin holding Valentino's remains. The mourners sobbed and bit their lips.
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
The little girl was afraid of what her mother would say about her low grades. She showed her report card first to her father.
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
The manager refused to turn on the heat until the first day of winter. Two children died of hypothermia.
Now move it to the end.
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
I lay half asleep one Sunday morning. I had a disturbing dream.
Now move it to the end.
Make the first clause subordinate, and leave it at the beginning.
The desert at evening is as comfortable as it is beautiful. No unprotected human being can survive a day under the desert sun.