

How To Use and Punctuate Subordinating Conjunctions AfterĪlthough many people consider them to be subordinate conjunctions, words such as however, accordingly, still, otherwise and so forth are referred to as conjunctive adverbs, which are slightly different in function from subordinate conjunctions, and they’re punctuated differently as well. There are many subordinate conjunctions to keep track of, but here is a list of those most commonly used. This combination creates a complex sentence that requires the use of a subordinating conjunction. This usually occurs when you link a main or independent clause with a subordinate or dependent clause. Whereas coordinating conjunctions and correlative conjunctions link two equal elements, subordinate conjunctions are the link between two unequal elements. The word because exists to show you the cause and effect of something, which is essentially what a subordinate conjunction does. The word because is a great way to quickly help you to understand subordinate conjunctions. The second quality is that it relies on an independent clause, which is a clause that can act as a sentence on its own. The first quality is that a subordinate clause does not complete a thought on its own, which means it can’t act as a sentence on its own. A clause that is dependent (subordinate) is a clause that contains two qualities. So what is a subordinating conjunction? Subordinating conjunctions join independent clauses with a dependent or subordinate clause.
