Subordinate clauses can be nouns, adverbials or adjectives.
A subordinate clause is a type of compound sentence . In this framework, dependence and subordination are observed, since a main sentence is distinguished and another that, in order to fully display its meaning, needs it.
Subordinating links are essential to be able to introduce a subordinate clause within a larger structure and ensure that this statement conforms to the higher-ranking sentence .
Knowing the distinctive aspects of these propositions is key to avoiding confusion with another variety of compound sentences known as coordinated sentences . In the latter case, a relationship of equality in hierarchical matters is evident and there is more than one independent clause at a grammatical level in a position to be separated from the rest of the structure without resigning meaning or meaning.
Elements of the subordinate clause
The elements of the subordinate clause do not vary too much compared to the components of a main clause .
Generally, in the secondary (subordinate) sentence there is a subject , a verb (which must always be located if you want to determine if a statement is subordinate) and, on more than one occasion, some complement .
The structures are modified depending on whether it is a substantive, adjective or adverbial subordinate clause .
Connectors and subordinate links
Connectors and subordinating links are essential for a subordinate sentence to be linked to the main format. In general, they usually function, with respect to a subordinate phrase , as a syntactic nucleus.
There are prepositional subordinating connections (centered on some preposition , such as 'to' , 'from' , 'towards' and 'according to' , to detail some possibilities) and subordinating conjunctions (which use some conjunction in their intention to unite a pair of elements that do not have identical hierarchy).
The subordinate clause only has meaning and meaning if it is held together with a main clause.
Types of subordinate clause
The types of subordinate clause are recognized according to the syntactic function they fulfill in each case as part of a main clause .
One of the groups brings together the family of so-called substantive subordinates . The theory says that a substantive subordinate clause is characterized by performing syntactic functions equal to those developed by a noun . From this category arise the subordinate clause of the subject (a type of sentence that acts, in a compound sentence, as a subject in relation to the main verb), the subordinate clause of the direct object (that whose syntactic function is to act as a direct object) and the subordinate clause of indirect object (modality that includes the preposition 'a' and has the particularity of serving as an indirect object). Also part of this set is the subordinate complement of regime which, to generate a complete meaning, is responsible for complementing the verb of the main sentence .
Another large segment is headed by the adjective subordinate clause , which is introduced through a relative link and assumes the role of complement with respect to the name of a noun phrase. Here the game opens to recognize two alternatives: the subordinate of specification (which informs about the noun that complements and delimits it) and the subordinate of explanation (or explanatory, because it clarifies a quality of a noun ).
If we emphasize the characteristics of the adverbial subordinate clause (which in the compound sentence behaves as an adverb included in a simple sentence does), on the other hand, the subordinate clause of time will gain visibility (it acts as a circumstantial complement of time and can replaced by a simple adverb ) and the subordinate clause of place (accounts for the place in which the verbal action takes place). The subordinate of manner , the subordinate of cause and the subordinate of consequence are other members of this category, which even include the subordinate of condition , the subordinate of purpose , the subordinate of comparison and the subordinate of concession . Nor are the subordinate clause of exclamation , the subordinate clause of interrogation , the subordinate clause of order , the subordinate clause of quantity , the subordinate clause of desire , the subordinate clause of doubt or the subordinate clause of probability left out.
Adverbs, conjunctions and pronouns are very useful in the function of subordinating links.
Form and structure subordinate clauses
Forming and structuring subordinate clauses is a task that becomes simpler keeping in mind, in principle, that through a conjunction they are linked to a main clause because, without it, they would not make sense. Separately, that is, alone, a subordinate clause does not constitute a coherent or entire phrase.
With a subject, such as "Cecilia" , the assembly of the statement continues with a verb, for example: "knows" . Then, having 'that' as a connecting resource, it is possible to complete the phrase with "you cook very well" . Then, once the compound sentence is finished, you have to spot the verb and, from there, analyze the content to identify the subordinate clause. What is it, in this case? "that you cook very well" , since to complete its meaning, this substantive subordinate clause requires the rest of the structure. As a strategy to confirm if the identification is correct, there is a check formula based on replacing the subordinate clause with expressions such as "a thing" , "this" , "that" and "that" . This is how it would look, to exemplify: "Cecilia knows one thing" , "Cecilia knows this" , etc.
In the case of subordinate clauses framed as adjective or relative nouns , there is always a relative adverb or a relative pronoun . As a guideline to facilitate recognition, we will quote the proposition "The toy they gave him was battery-powered." If an adjective is used to replace the subordinate clause and the link is replaced with "which" or "which" , the identification process leads to "The expensive toy was battery-powered" and "The toy which was given to him as a gift. " "It was battery-powered."