Chapter 16: Adverb Subordinate Clauses

Copyright © 2011


  • A Subordinate Clause is a group of related words connected to the Main Sentence to provide Support for the Main Sentence. Both the Subordinate Clause and the Main Sentence (Main Clause) have their own Subject and Verb.
  • There are two kinds of Subordinate Clauses: Adverb and Adjective. This chapter focuses on Adverb Subordinate Clauses; the next chapter explains Adjective Subordinate Clauses.

Here’s an example of an Adverb Subordinate Clause, developed from two simple sentences. The first sentence has been converted to a Subordinate Clause and the second sentence is the Main Clause:

Two Sentences: / Wearrived at class.
The professorhanded out the exam.
Adverb Subordinate Clause with Main Sentence: / Whenwearrived at class, the professorhanded out the exam.
  • A Subordinate Clause is connected to the Main Sentence using a Subordinate Conjunction. In the above sentence, “When” is the Subordinate Conjunction and whenwearrived at class is theSubordinate Clause.
  • The job of Subordinate Conjunctions is to join two sentences that are related when one of the sentences is a Subordinate Clause. The following is a list of Adverb Subordinate Conjunctions:

Common Adverb Subordinating Conjunctions
after*
although
as
as if
as long as
as though
because
before
even if
even though / if
if only
in order that
now that
once
rather than
since
so that
than
that / though
till
unless
until
when
whenever
where
whereas
wherever
while

*The most commonly used Adverb Subordinate Conjunctions are inbold type.

Most Adverb Subordinate Clauses support the Main Sentence by letting the readers know when in time the Subject and Verb happened. For example:

  • Whenwearrived at class, the professorhanded out the exam.

The Main Sentence is “The professorhanded out the exam,” and the Subordinate Clause supports the Main Sentence by telling the readerswhen“the professorhanded out the exam.”

Adverb Subordinate Clauses can support the Main Sentence in other ways as well. They can show contrast with the Main Sentence, and they can explain why the Main Sentence happened. The following gives example sentences, using each type of support:

Type of Support / Example Subordinate Clause Sentences
Time: (after, before, since, until, when, whenever, while) / Beforewe begin the meal, we’ll need to set the table.
Time: / Theypicked up the package aftertheydelivered the mail.
Time: / While Jose completed the project, his bossdid the paperwork.
Contrast: (although, even
though, though,
whereas) / Althoughsheretraced her steps, shecould not find the keys.
Contrast: / Mikewanted to do his email thoughitwas after 2:00 in the morning.
Explain Why: (as, because, since) / Ilike apples becausetheyare sweet.
Explain Why: / Sincehestarted working nights, hedoesn't see much of his kids.
Cause-Effect or Condition: (in order that,
so that even if, if, unless) / Ifyouwork hard, *you’llmake your own luck.

*Notice Subject and Verb in the contraction “you’llmake” could be written as “you will make.”

Practice 1.In the following sentences, Put (parentheses) around the Adverb Subordinate Clause and mark the Type of Support (see above) provided by the Subordinate Clause.

  1. The team had fallen behind by ten points before they were able to figure out the opponent's defense.

Type of Support: ____ Time ____ Contrast ____ Explains Why

____ Cause-Effect

  1. Since he started working nights, he doesn't see much of his kids.

Type of Support: ____ Time ____ Contrast ____ Explains Why

____ Cause-Effect

  1. They were confused when a new visual feature was introduced.

Type of Support: ____ Time ____ Contrast ____ Explains Why

____ Cause-Effect

  1. If they stayed out of any room, its door would close.

Type of Support: ____ Time ____ Contrast ____ Explains Why

____ Cause-Effect

  1. In a series of experiments, hundreds of students could not bear to let their options vanish even though it was obviously a dumb strategy.

Type of Support: ____ Time ____ Contrast ____ Explains Why

____ Cause-Effect

The Imposters: Words that are sometimes Adverb Subordinate Conjunctions and sometimes not.

Remember, if the word group does not have a Subject and a Verb, you cannot have a Subordinate Clause! Finding the Subject and Verb, therefore, is the key to identifying a Subordinate Clause.

The tricky part here is that there two words that can be either part of a Prepositional Phrase or part of an Adverb Subordinate Clause, depending on whether there is a Subject and Verb. Those key words are: after and since.

Here are some examples:

“After” in a Prepositional Phrase: / (After the game), we’ll meet for pizza.
After in a Subordinate Clause: / AfterIwalk my dog, I’ll finish the assignment.
“Since” in a Prepositional Phrase: / (Since the time) of the Romans, there have been arched bridges.
Since in a Subordinate Clause: / Sinceyouput it that way, I’ll withdraw my objection.

Notice how the Subordinate Clauses have a Subject and a Verb, while the Prepositional Phrases do not.

Comma Rules with Adverb Subordinate Clauses

There are only two comma rules that you need to know with Adverb Subordinate Clauses:

  1. Use a Comma after a Subordinate Clause that begins a Sentence.
  1. Do not use a Comma with a Subordinate Clause that ends a Sentence.

Here are some examples:

If the Subordinate Clause comes first, use a comma. / WhenI got to class,the fire alarm rang.
If the Subordinate Clause does not come first, do not use acomma. / The fire alarmrangwhenIgot to class.
If the Subordinate Clause comes first, use a comma. / Before the fireworksare launched, the gamewill be played.
If the Subordinate Clause does not come first, do not use acomma. / The gamewill be playedbefore the fireworksare launched.

Helpful Web Link for Clauses:

Practice 2.1 Adverb Subordinate Clause – Beginning Level Soccer

Great Soccer/Futbol Goals (Click Here)

Example: (AfterIgot to class), the fire alarmrang.

  • Sentences with Subordinate Clauses have at least two sets of Subjects and Verbs.
  • As always, identify the Verbs first, then, knowing that the Subject comes before the Verb, do a (fill-in-the-blank) in front of each Verb to find the Subject. Example: “(What) rang.” “The fire alarmrang,” so fire alarm is one of the Subjects.
  • A Subordinate Clause must come in front of one of the Subjects. There is nothing before fire alarm, and the word After is before the first Subject I. Check to see if After is on the list of Subordinate Conjunctions below:

Common Adverb Subordinating Conjunctions
after*
although
as
as if
as long as
as though
because
before
even if
even though / if
if only
in order that
now that
once
rather than
since
so that
than
that / though
till
unless
until
when
whenever
where
whereas
wherever
while
  • After is on the list of Subordinate Conjunctions, so put (parentheses) around the entire Subordinate Clause (AfterIgot to class), and put After in Italics.
  • Finally, use a comma if the Subordinate Clause comes first in the sentence and do not use a comma if the Subordinate Clause does not come first. In the example sentence: “(AfterIgot to class), the fire alarmrang,” you need a comma.

In the following sentences, underline the Subject(s), put the Verb(s) in bold(if you’re not using a computer, double underline the Verbs), and put (parentheses) around the Subordinating Clauses to help identify the Subordinate Clauses. Put the Subordinating Conjunction in Italics. Add any commas that are needed.

1. I made it to class after it rained.

2. After she has fulfilled the mandatory minimum of ten seasons she will be enshrined in the Golf Hall of Fame.

3. I have been playing baseball since I started the fifth grade.

4. Although we had tickets the game was rained out.

5. Stacey started hiking when she moved to Colorado.

Practice 2.2 Adverb Subordinate Clause – Beginning Level Soccer

In the following sentences, underline the Subject(s), put the Verb(s) in bold in bold (if you’re not using a computer, double underline the Verbs), and put (parentheses) around the Subordinating Clauses to help identify the Subordinate Clauses. Put the Subordinating Conjunction in Italics. Add any commas that are needed.

Example: The fire alarmrang(afterIgot to class).

  • Notice that you do not use a comma because the Subordinate Clause “(afterIgot to class)” does not come first in the sentence.

1. While the GatesFoundation gave large grants to schoolsthe scores did not improve.

2. The graduation rates did not improve even though the Gates Foundation invested millions of dollars.

3. Before the Walton Family Foundation invested in education they had high hopes for charter schools.

4. When Michael Dell of Dell Computers started funding schools he hoped for better test scores.

5. The Oakland school district has a 40 percent high-school dropout rate because poverty is difficult to overcome.

Newsweek

Back to School for the Billionaires

Rita Beamish

May 01, 2011

Practice 3.1 Adverb Subordinate Clause – Intermediate Level Soccer

Watch some incredible goals in the (Chivas Vs Barcelona) soccer match.

In the following sentences, underline the Subject(s), put the Verb(s) in bold in bold (if you’re not using a computer, double underline the Verbs), and put (parentheses) around the Subordinating Clauses to help identify the Subordinate Clauses. Put the Subordinating Conjunction in Italics. Add any commas that are needed.

Example: (AfterIgot to class), the fire alarmrang.

  1. When she is not reinventing the LPGA tour in her image Lorena Ochoa lives with her parents in Guadalajara.
  1. It is not always easy because Ochoa is a private person.
  2. Ochoa has won a mind-boggling twenty tournaments in fifty-four starts since April 2006.
  1. After she visited the Stock Exchange, Ochoa reached $12 million in career earnings.
  1. Ochoa stayed at the corner of Wall Street and Broadway and waited for 15 minutes for Willy to return.

Lorena Ochoa Drives the Ball

Practice 3.2. Adverb Subordinate Clause – Intermediate Level Soccer

In the following sentences, underline the Subject(s), put the Verb(s) in bold in bold (if you’re not using a computer, double underline the Verbs), and put (parentheses) around the Subordinating Clauses to help identify the Subordinate Clauses. Put the Subordinating Conjunction in Italics. Add any commas that are needed.

Example: The fire alarmrang(afterIgot to class).

  1. When he visits Ochoa at tournaments it is not uncommon for him to hold her hand as they walk to the 1st tee.
  1. Lorena Ochoa lives with her parents in Guadalajara where a wild night out means a dinner party with friends and capped by her only vice, chocolate cake.
  1. Woods is rightfully celebrated as a sportsman although he does not hide his glee at crushing his challengers.
  1. Since we were having so much fun, I barely noticed she was kicking my tail.
  1. The Old Course has a tradition of confirming genius as it did with Woods in 2000 and Angel Cabrera in 2009.

Practice 2.3. Adverb Subordinate Clause – Intermediate Level Soccer

In the following sentences, underline the Subject(s), put the Verb(s) in bold in bold (if you’re not using a computer, double underline the Verbs), and put (parentheses) around the Subordinating Clauses to help identify the Subordinate Clauses. Put the Subordinating Conjunction in Italics. Add any commas that are needed.

Example: (AfterIgot to class), the fire alarmrang.

  1. While the LPGA tour had pitched its tent in New Jersey Ochoa had been talked into ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
  1. It occurred to Lorena Ochoa that she did not know where to go when she reached the drop spot.
  1. After she asked a stranger for directions Ochoa finally navigated the two blocks to the heavily fortified front entrance of the Stock Exchange.
  1. As she approached a guard Ochoa said, "I am here to ring the opening bell, but I do not know where to go."
  1. Even though the city rushed by not a single person seemed to recognize her.

“Lorena Ochoa: Simply the Best”

Alan Shipnuck
Sports Illustrated
June 3, 2008

Practice 4 Adverb Subordinate Clause – Challenge Level Soccer

(YouTube Video of AbbieWombach’s last second goal against Brazil in the World Cup.)

In the following sentences, underline the Subject(s), put the Verb(s) in bold in bold (if you’re not using a computer, double underline the Verbs), and put (parentheses) around the Subordinating Clauses to help identify the Subordinate Clauses. Put the Subordinating Conjunction in Italics. Add any commas that are needed.

Example: (AfterIgot to class), the fire alarmrang.

1. Since the 60s if researchers compare today’s workers with the farming and manufacturing workers of 50 years ago the new study demonstrates that Americans today are more sedentary when they are at work because they are in service or desk jobs.