Time
By the time
Every time
The first time
Since
Until
till
After
Before
As long as
Now that
Once
When
Whenever
As soon as
Now
Now when
while
Condition
In case
Just in case
if
If only
Only if
If when
If then
Provided
Provided that
Supposing
As much as
Even
Even if
Whether
Unless
Now that
Considering that
Assuming that
Reason
Because
As
Why
In order to
Since
So that
Contrast
Despite
In spite
Although
Whereas
As if
As though
Even though
Rather than
Others (relative pronouns)
Who
Whoever
Which
While
Wherever
Just as
Where
whereas
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By the time
Every time
In case
Just in case
In spite
Despite
Only if
The first time
after
as
before
since
until
1
C. CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS
These conjunctions join independent clauses together.
The following are frequently used conjunctive adverbs:
after all in addition next
also incidentally nonetheless
as a result indeed on the contrary
besides in fact on the other hand
consequently in other words otherwise
finally instead still
for example likewise then
furthermore meanwhile therefore
hence moreover thus
however nevertheless
Punctuation Place a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb and a comma after
: the conjunctive adverb.
Printer Fabulous!
T HE
S UBORDINA
TE
C ONJUNCTI
ON
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].
The essential ingredient in a complex sentence is the
subordinate conjunction:
Subordinate Conjunctions
after once until
although provided that when
as rather than whenever
because since where
before so that whereas
even if than wherever
even though that whether
if though while
in order that unless why
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. Here are some
examples:
Louisa will wash the sink full of her dirty dishes once
her roommate Shane cleans his stubble and globs of
shaving cream from the bathroom sink.
We looked on top of the refrigerator, where Jenny will
often hide a bag of chocolate chip cookies.
Because her teeth were chattering in fear, Lynda
clenched her jaw muscle while waiting for her turn to
audition.
The second job of the subordinate conjunction is to
reduce the importance of one clause so 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 the
subordinate conjunction.
Read these examples:
As Samson blew out the birthday candles atop the
cake, he burned the tip of his nose on a stubborn
flame.
Burning his nose > blowing out candles.
Ronnie begins to sneeze violently whenever he opens
the door to greet a fresh spring day .
Sneezing violently > opening the door.
Even though Dana persevered at the calculus exam ,
she was only adding another F beside her name in Dr.
Armour's grade book.
Adding another F > persevering at the exam.
Punctuate a complex
sentence correctly.
Complex sentences follow two common patterns:
MAIN CLAUSE + Ø + SUBORDINATE CLAUSE .
Nicky shook her head and sighed Ø as she puzzled
over the algebra problem .
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE + , + MAIN CLAUSE .
When the doorbell rang , Nicky slammed shut her
textbook and rose to pay for her pizza.
Punctuation gets trickier when the subordinate clause
begins with a relative pronoun like who, which, or
where. Sometimes you will need a comma, and
sometimes you won't, depending on whether the clause
is essential or nonessential.
When the information in the relative clause clarifies an
otherwise general noun, the clause is essential and will
follow the same pattern that you saw above:
MAIN CLAUSE + Ø + ESSENTIAL RELATIVE CLAUSE .
Nicky paid the deliveryman Ø whose rusty hatchback
choked and coughed in the driveway .
Deliveryman is a general noun. Which one are we
talking about? The relative clause whose rusty
hatchback choked and coughed in the driveway
clarifies the restaurant employee we mean. The clause is
thus essential and requires no punctuation.
When a relative clause follows a specific noun,
punctuation changes. The information in the relative
clause is no longer as important, and the clause becomes
nonessential. Nonessential clauses require you to use
commas to connect them.
MAIN CLAUSE + , + NONESSENTIAL RELATIVE CLAUSE .
Nicky paid Fernando , whose rusty hatchback
choked and coughed in the driveway .
Fernando, the name of a unique restaurant employee,
lets us know which deliveryman we mean. The
information in the relative clause is no longer important
and needs to be separated from the main clause with a
comma.
Relative clauses can also interrupt a main clause. When
this happens, use no punctuation for an essential clause.
But if the clause is nonessential, separate it with a
comma in front and a comma behind. Take a look at
these examples:
After seeing the cheap tip, the man Ø who delivered
Nicky's pizza Ø wished that he had driven more
slowly.
After seeing the cheap tip, Fernando, who delivered
Nicky's pizza , wished that he had driven more slowly.
