Subordination

When you write, part of your task is to learn how to have variety in your sentences and present your ideas in an original and a refreshing fashion. You do this to avoid monotony, not only in the words you use, but also in the length of your sentences. Such technique will put life and animation to your writing. Likewise, these techniques can make your readers become more receptive to your ideas. Hence, there is a need for you to learn how to build effective sentences.

There are several ways to build sentences. One of them is by combining sentences through subordination. Look at the following sentences:

1. There is a place in China far above the world.
2. Mountains rise up to the clouds.

The two sentences given are simple sentences. From these two simple sentences, you can create one meaningful sentence by combining them. Here is the combined form of the two simple sentences:

There is a place in China where mountains rise up to the clouds far above the world.

Notice that in combining the two simple sentences, there is one clause which is more important than the other. The more important clause There is a place in China far above the world is called a main or independent clause, and the less important clause Mountains rise up to the clouds is the dependent or subordinate clause. The less important clause is signaled by the subordinate conjunction where. When this happens, the structure of the sentences is transformed. You no longer have two simple sentences, but one complex sentence. This method of sentence combining is called subordination.

A complex sentence has two clauses—an independent or principal clause and a dependent or subordinate clause.

An independent or principal clause can stand alone while a dependent or subordinate clause cannot.

Examples: