Main Clauses and Subordinate Clauses
A main clause is the essential part of a sentence and it can stand alone without the subordinate clause. A subordinate clause gives information about the main clause and it cannot stand alone as it is not a complete sentence. Read this example sentence. The main clause is in bold. The subordinate clause is in italics.
Laura shut the back door to stop her neighbor's cat from coming into the kitchen.
"Laura shut the back door" is the main clause of the whole sentence, and when you put a full-stop after the word "door", you will see that it is actually a complete sentence.
The subordinate clause "to stop her neighbor's cat from coming into the kitchen", is not a complete sentence, but just a long phrase that tells why Laura shut the back door.
A sentence may begin with the main clause or subordinate clause. The above example sentence can be reconstructed like this:
To stop the neighbor's cat from coming into the kitchen, Laura shut the back door. Note that in this sentence construction, the punctuation mark comma (,) is needed after the subordinate clause.
More example sentences. The main clause is in bold. The subordinate clause is in italics.
The truck slowed down to let the pedestrians cross the road.
Sharon screamed at the top of her voice when she saw the dark shadow. OR
When Sharon saw the dark shadow, she screamed at the top of her voice.
Subordinate clauses are useful as they tell us more about the main clauses. Read this sentence. It is actually a main clause.
Mrs Lee bought some flowers. This sentence doesn't give much information. You don't really know what the flowers were for, right? See what happens when I add the subordinate clause "to decorate her sitting room" to the sentence. It becomes "Mrs Lee bought some flowers to decorate her sitting room". Therefore, if I asked you this question: "Why did Mrs Lee buy some flowers?", you'd be able to give an answer, right? Without the subordinate clause, you cannot give an answer.
Different kinds of subordinate clauses
"because" subordinate clauses
Mrs Lee scolded her children because they behaved badly.
We returned the lawnmowers because our customers complained that they were faulty.
"when" subordinate clauses
When Henry opened the door, he saw a white figure right before him!
Kelvin accidentally kicked against something hard and fell when he was jogging on the footpath.
"that" subordinate clauses
The workers complained to the supervisor that they had been underpaid.
The team leader told me that there was a briefing.
"before" subordinate clauses
Florence turned out all the lights before she went to bed.
Before you place an order for the new products, you must make sure the products are not imitations.
"after " subordinate clauses
After locking up the premises, all the staff left.
Tony watched TV after he had completed all his homework.
There are other kinds of subordinate clauses used with relative pronouns. Click on "grammar" for Relative Pronouns.
Evaluation Exercise 1
Answer each question using the word/words given in the brackets in the subordinate clause.
Example: Why did Peter throw away the biscuits? (stale and stinking)
Peter threw away the biscuits because they were stale and stinking.
Why did Jane jump out of her skin? (hear - a loud bang)
.................................................................................................
Why did we return the products? (faulty)
.................................................................................................
Evaluation Exercise 2
Complete the sentences using a subordinate clause. You may use the key words in the brackets.
Example: Terry was swimming in the pool when...................................
(someone - scream - help)
Terry was swimming in the pool when he heard someone screaming for help.
Laura went shopping after...............................................................
(make - jam tarts)
Nancy had her long hair cut and permed before....................................
(attend - friend's wedding party)
My colleague told me that...............................................................
(personnel manager - resign)
Click on "Show" for the answers only after you've completed these two evaluation exercises.
Answers [Show] [Hide]
Laura shut the back door to stop her neighbor's cat from coming into the kitchen.
"Laura shut the back door" is the main clause of the whole sentence, and when you put a full-stop after the word "door", you will see that it is actually a complete sentence.
The subordinate clause "to stop her neighbor's cat from coming into the kitchen", is not a complete sentence, but just a long phrase that tells why Laura shut the back door.
A sentence may begin with the main clause or subordinate clause. The above example sentence can be reconstructed like this:
To stop the neighbor's cat from coming into the kitchen, Laura shut the back door. Note that in this sentence construction, the punctuation mark comma (,) is needed after the subordinate clause.
More example sentences. The main clause is in bold. The subordinate clause is in italics.
The truck slowed down to let the pedestrians cross the road.
Sharon screamed at the top of her voice when she saw the dark shadow. OR
When Sharon saw the dark shadow, she screamed at the top of her voice.
Subordinate clauses are useful as they tell us more about the main clauses. Read this sentence. It is actually a main clause.
Mrs Lee bought some flowers. This sentence doesn't give much information. You don't really know what the flowers were for, right? See what happens when I add the subordinate clause "to decorate her sitting room" to the sentence. It becomes "Mrs Lee bought some flowers to decorate her sitting room". Therefore, if I asked you this question: "Why did Mrs Lee buy some flowers?", you'd be able to give an answer, right? Without the subordinate clause, you cannot give an answer.
Different kinds of subordinate clauses
"because" subordinate clauses
Mrs Lee scolded her children because they behaved badly.
We returned the lawnmowers because our customers complained that they were faulty.
"when" subordinate clauses
When Henry opened the door, he saw a white figure right before him!
Kelvin accidentally kicked against something hard and fell when he was jogging on the footpath.
"that" subordinate clauses
The workers complained to the supervisor that they had been underpaid.
The team leader told me that there was a briefing.
"before" subordinate clauses
Florence turned out all the lights before she went to bed.
Before you place an order for the new products, you must make sure the products are not imitations.
"after " subordinate clauses
After locking up the premises, all the staff left.
Tony watched TV after he had completed all his homework.
There are other kinds of subordinate clauses used with relative pronouns. Click on "grammar" for Relative Pronouns.
Evaluation Exercise 1
Answer each question using the word/words given in the brackets in the subordinate clause.
Example: Why did Peter throw away the biscuits? (stale and stinking)
Peter threw away the biscuits because they were stale and stinking.
Why did Jane jump out of her skin? (hear - a loud bang)
.................................................................................................
Why did we return the products? (faulty)
.................................................................................................
Evaluation Exercise 2
Complete the sentences using a subordinate clause. You may use the key words in the brackets.
Example: Terry was swimming in the pool when...................................
(someone - scream - help)
Terry was swimming in the pool when he heard someone screaming for help.
Laura went shopping after...............................................................
(make - jam tarts)
Nancy had her long hair cut and permed before....................................
(attend - friend's wedding party)
My colleague told me that...............................................................
(personnel manager - resign)
Click on "Show" for the answers only after you've completed these two evaluation exercises.
Answers [Show] [Hide]
Evaluation Exercise 1
Jane jumped out of her skin because she heard a loud bang.
We returned the products because they were faulty.
Evaluation Exercise 2
Laura went shopping after making the/some jam tarts. OR
Laura went shopping after she had made the/some jam starts.
Nancy had her long hair cut and permed before attending her friend's wedding party. OR
Nancy had her long hair cut and permed before she attended her friend's wedding party.
My colleague told me that the personnel manager had resigned. OR
My colleague told me that the personnel manager wanted to resign.
Jane jumped out of her skin because she heard a loud bang.
We returned the products because they were faulty.
Evaluation Exercise 2
Laura went shopping after making the/some jam tarts. OR
Laura went shopping after she had made the/some jam starts.
Nancy had her long hair cut and permed before attending her friend's wedding party. OR
Nancy had her long hair cut and permed before she attended her friend's wedding party.
My colleague told me that the personnel manager had resigned. OR
My colleague told me that the personnel manager wanted to resign.
By Susan L
On 1/14/2010 06:44:00 PM
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View More Articles... On 1/14/2010 06:44:00 PM
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