Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions join an independent clause and a dependent clause. Dependent clauses cannot exist on their own; they need to be joined to an independent clause. Subordinate conjunctions join them. The word subordinate (adjective) means ``something less important than something else``. (Steel, 2000 : 657). Here are some of the most common subordinating conjunctions : time – (after, before, since, when, whenever, while, until, till, as, as…as, once; reason – (because, since, so that, in order that, why); concession– ( although, though, even though, while); place – ( where, wherever); condition– ( if, unless, until, in case, provided that, assuming that, even if); manner– ( as if, as though, how); introducing a relative clause– the person or thing already mentioned– (that, who, which); comparing two things– (than).
That - . I spent some hours thinking nervously that the unknown Allengate Manor might be a horrible place, but I need not have worried. (Howatch, 1971:238).
Who - She wanted a son who would echo her, a weak shadow, a masculine complement to her dominant personality. (Howatch, 1971:10).
Which - My father did not talk much about honor and justice, the concepts which my mother so dearly loved to brandish. (Howatch, 1971:17).
Than – My eyes were bluer than Mama`s and a different shape. (Howatch, 1971:241).
After - Papa would read the letter aloud to them after breakfast on the morning of its arrival. (Howatch, 1971:266).
Before - It was five minutes before we were finally face to face. (Howatch, 1971:54).
Since - It`s seven months since I last saw her in Cornwall. (Howatch, 1971:267).
When - My father, for instance, more than doubled the family fortune when he was in India as a young man. (Howatch, 1971:8).
Whenever - “I expect it was upsetting for Mrs. Castallack,“ said Mama, “whenever he came to see me.“ (Howatch, 1971:272).
While - Papa left me with her while he went off to discover where William had gone. (Howatch, 1971:248).
Until - At the end of the village she took the path again across the moors and I went on watching her until she had vanished from sight. (Howatch, 1971:6).
Till - Papa told us to stay here, and we shall stay here till he comes back. (Howatch, 1971:244).
As - As I stared at her misery she tried to speak but the words would not come. (Howatch, 1971: 68).
As soon as - As soon as I`m sixteen I`ll leave school and go and live with Mama. (Howatch, 1971:276).
Because - Mama asked me not to, because she didn`t want you to worry when you were so far away at school. (Howatch, 1971:252).
Since- After years of struggle I at last had a home of my own, and the home was doubly precious to me since I had had to fight so long for what I wanted. (Howatch, 1971:113).
So that - I had never conversed at length with a lady before and at first was very shy, but Miss Charlotte was sweet and unaffected so that I soon overcame my nervousness. (Howatch, 1971:104).
In order that - “Well Mark,” she said, having dispatched Cousin Robert on some errand in order that she could speak to me alone. (Howatch, 1971:16).
Why - The fault was mine, and why you should even want to marry me after I`ve treated you so shamefully. (Howatch, 1971:68).
Although - It was the last breath he would ever take although I did not know it then. (Howatch, 1971:97).
Though - Secretly I cherished the notion of acting as my own housekeeper and fulfilling my ambition to be in charge of the domestic affairs of a large mansion, but of course, ironic though it seemed to me at the time, I was denied the opportunity to prove my skill. (Howatch, 1971:168).
Even Though - Even though she had left Gwekellis Manor more than six years ago, the memory of her temper lingered on among the servants. (Howatch, 1971:9).
Where- I can still remember the one-room hovel where my earliest years were spent. (Howatch, 1971:102).
Wherever - However, for some reason he`s formed an overpowering attachment to me and follows me wherever I go. (Howatch, 1971:292).
If - He would have married me if I had been free to become his wife. (Howatch, 1971:7).
Unless - I wouldn`t ask a respectable young lady to come to be housekeeper for a widower and two bachelors unless I could offer her a way of keeping up her respectability. (Howatch, 1971:109).
Even if - You wouldn`t have seen much of her even if you`d been there, because I was there and I hardly ever saw her. (Howatch, 1971:259).
As if - She greeted me as if it were four days, not four years, since we had last met. (Howatch, 1971:21).
How - I remembered how Laurence and I had drunk a glass of wine together when I had first invited him into the house. (Howatch, 1971:130).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Steel, Miranda. (2000). Oxford Wordpower Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
