subordinate clauses

Language

2022

We explain what subordinate clauses are, their types and examples. Also, grammatical links and coordinated sentences.

Subordinate clauses can function as an adverb for the main clause.

What are subordinate clauses?

In linguistics, subordinate clauses are a type of compound sentences, that is, sentences endowed with more than one verb and more than one predicate, in which there is a subordination effect, that is, that one sentence remains main and the other depends on it to fully express its meaning.

Subordinate clauses are perhaps the most complex case of compound clauses, in which a hierarchical relationship appears between the terms that compose it. To do this, a nexus subordinante, which allows inserting the subordinate clause within the main one, anchored to it. In the latter, the subordinates are distinguished from the rest of the compound sentences.

For example: in the compound sentence "Today we saw my cousin, the one I was talking about yesterday," the nexus of what It allows us to subordinate "the one I was talking about yesterday" to "Today we saw my cousin." Note how the subordinate cannot exist without the main one, since it would totally lose its referent.

Subordinate clauses form clauses within the prayer main and perform various syntactic functions, depending on their content: they can serve as a noun, adjectival or adverbial phrase. From this function they can be classified, as we will see below.

Types of subordinate clauses

Subordinate clauses are classified according to the syntactic function they perform within the main clause. Thus, we have:

  • Subordinate Subordinate Claims (OSS). Those that play the role of a noun phrase: subject, attribute, direct complement, indirect complement or regime complement. They are usually preceded by conjunctions that, about what, Yes, to, for, according to the case. For example: “I would like that kiss me "," We are ready for receive you "," Maria is not willing to forgive you ”.
  • Subordinate adjective or relative clauses (OR). Those that serve to qualify or complement a noun phrase, always acting as an adjacent or complement, and being introduced by a relative pronoun such as that, to which, of what, whose, whose, where, What, etc. For example: “Maria, that She is very upset, she is waiting for you in the living room ”,“ My cousin, of what I spoke to you the other day, he arrived last night ”,“ On vacation, when We went to Italy, we got the virus ”.
  • Subordinate adverbial clauses (OSA). Those that always perform the function of circumstantial complements of the verb of the main sentence, and use links according to the complementary function they perform, such as: more than, tank, barely, as soon as, as long as, where, What, etc. For example: “I will go as soon as my work allows it ","When let's be inside, we close all the windows "," I'll give you what you ask, as long as you do the same ".

Examples of subordinate clauses

  • Yesterday I read a book that a Holocaust survivor wrote.
  • I like it when you touch my back.
  • Those are the same ones that came last night.
  • There is the girl I told you about at home.
  • Does your mother know to what do you do
  • He will come with us whenever we ask.
  • They canceled the play whose director was publicly accused.
  • The government is getting ready to contain the pandemic.
  • The elections showed that the ruling party is a minority.
  • Thanks to your father, we found out that you are going on a trip tomorrow.
  • I'll close the door as soon as the vendors arrive.
  • Yesterday we went to the clinic where you had surgery on your tonsils.

Subordinate links

To establish a relationship of subordination between simple sentences, it is essential to have a grammatical link, that is, a particle that serves as a bridge between the main sentence and its subordinate. These links can be of different types, depending on the type of subordinate they introduce, and the context in which they should appear.

Thus, it can be:

  • Conjunctions (that, Yes, etc.), for example: “Your sentence will be lowered Yes accept all charges ”.
  • Adverbs (when, where, etc.), for example: “Mario woke up when the sun was beginning to appear ”.
  • Pronouns (who, that, whose, etc.), for example: “I bought a book whose author was present in the bookstore ”.
  • Conjunctive phrases (to the + infinitive, by + infinitive, of + infinitive, etc.), for example: “The woman cried to know that dreadful news ”or“ Consult your doctor in case To present adverse reactions".

Coordinated sentences

Unlike subordinate clauses, coordinates consist of the union of two simple sentences of different semantic content through the use of different types of links, but in this case they do so while preserving the same functional value.

In other words, both sentences are together, but are syntactically independent, can be pronounced separately, and only together do they acquire a global meaning.

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