Subordinating conjuction

Subordinating Conjunctions
Website:

http://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/subordconj.htm
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/conjunctions-subordinating.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/conjunctions.htm#subordinating_conjunctions
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/subordinateconjunction.htm
http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/grammar_subordinate.htmlhttp://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/subcon1.htm

Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating Conjunction (sometimes called a dependent word or subordinator) comes at the beginning of a Subordinate (or Dependent) Clause and establishes the relationship between the dependent clause and the rest of the sentence. It also turns the clause into something that depends on the rest of the sentence for its meaning.
* He took to thestage as though he had been preparing for this moment all his life.
* Because he loved acting, he refused to give up his dream of being in the movies.
* Unless we act now, all is lost.
*
Recognize a subordinate conjunction when you see one.
Some sentences are complex. Such sentences have two clauses, one main [or independent] and one subordinate [or dependent]. These are thepatterns for a complex sentence:
main clause + Ø + subordinate clause.
subordinate clause + , + main clause
The subordinate conjunction has two jobs. First, it provides a necessary transition between the two ideas in the sentence. This transition will indicate a time, place, or cause and effect relationship.

The second job of the subordinate conjunction is to reduce the importance of one clauseso that a reader understands which of the two ideas is more important. The more important idea belongs in the main clause, the less important in the clause introduced by a subordinate conjunction.

Common Subordinating Conjunctions
Cause
as
because
in order that
since
so that

Concession and Comparison
although
as
as though
even though
just as
though
whereas
while

Conditioneven if
if
in case
provided that
unless

Place
where
wherever

Time
after
as soon as
as long as
before
once
still
till
until
when
whenever
while

Excercise
Choose the best conjunction for each sentence.
1. ________ Mei Li doesn't speak English, she can't go to university in Canada.
A.   Whereas
B.   Since
2. Jun couldn't buy any Christmas presents________ he didn't have any money.
C.   even though
D.   because
3. Jerry passed the exam first time ________ I had to retake it three times.
E.   as
F.    while
4. I will be late today ________ my car has broken down.
G.   though
H.   because
5. ________ it was raining, I didn't get wet.
I.    Because
J.   Although
6. I don'tdrink coffee ________ it makes me nervous.
K.   although
L.   as
7. ________ my wife likes to travel abroad, I prefer to stay at home for my vacations.
M.   Whereas
N.    Since
8. Paula got the job ________ she had no experience.
O.   even though
P.     As
Subordinating Conjunctions
The majority of conjunctions are "subordinating conjunctions".Common subordinating conjunctions are:
* after, although, as, because, before, how, if, once, since, than, that, though, till, until, when, where, whether, while
A subordinating conjunction joins a subordinate (dependent) clause to a main (independent) clause:
|
| + | |
|
Look at this example:
main or
independent clause | subordinate or
dependent clause |
Ram went swimming |although | it was raining. |
| subordinating
conjunction |   |
 
A subordinate or dependent clause "depends" on a main or independent clause. It cannot exist alone. Imagine that somebody says to you: "Hello! Although it was raining." What do you understand? Nothing! But a main or independent clause can exist alone. You will understand very well if somebody says to you: "Hello! Ram went...