Subordinate Clause: Definition and Examples

When studying grammar from the English language, you are likely to come across the term subordinate clause. At first glance, this can seem like a confusing concept, however, the subordinate clause can be easily explained and understood. In this article, we are going to take a look at the definition of this type of clause as well as looking at some examples to show how it can be used within a sentence.

What Is a Subordinate Clause?

Pin

The subordinate clause is a type of clause which relies on the main clause in order to form a full sentence. On its own, a subordinate clause cannot make a complex sentence. This type of clause has a verb and a subject just like any other clause does, it is also known as a dependent clause. This type of clause is used to add more information to a sentence.

Examples of Subordinate Clauses

In order to properly understand how a subordinate clause functions, it is important to look at how it is used. We are now going to take a look at some sentences in which the subordinate clause will be highlighted in bold.

1. I met my wife in London, where she grew up from a young age.
2. Once my husband finishes work, we will go shopping.
3. My son has to be in at seven o’clock because I told him to be.
4. She got her first dog when she was four years old.
5. You should take an umbrella because it will rain today.
6. This is Jim, who is my cousin.
7. You will be able to buy a car if you complete your driving test.
8. When I go to the supermarket I must buy some bread.
9. I cannot wear this dress because it is too tight.
10. The leaves fall off the trees because it is autumn.
11. My brother felt sick because he ate too many chocolates.
12. The responsibility is with whoever is taking care of the children.
13. You can go to the party as long as you have done your chores.
14. I will take my dog to the vets before I go to the hair salon.
15. I can finally pay my rent now that my bank account is full again.
16. I will go to the beach if it is sunny.
17. He doesn’t like flowers even though he is a florist.
18. It won’t rain unless we have a barbecue.
19. I eat popcorn whenever I watch a movie.
20. The computer stopped working when the power cut out.
21. Paris is a city which is in France.
22. He will wait for his sister while she has her operation.
23. Whenever you arrive is fine with us.
24. If the cat mews, you should feed it.
25. My aunt, who lives in Japan, likes Japanese culture.
26. While he sleeps, my husband snores very loudly.
27. After I read this book, my friend asked me about the story.
28. I watched the TV show before I went to bed.
29. I held the spider although I was terrified of it.
30. What the criminal did was shocking to the nation.