WEEK 5 – Coordination & Subordination

WEEK 5 – Coordination & Subordination

Coordination and subordination:  When writing, a writer must decide what to emphasize and what not to emphasize so that the reader will know exactly what the writer intends.  Words, phrases, clauses, and sentences (main clauses) may be coordinated and subordinated.

Coordinating conjunctions:  The following coordinating conjunctions join main clauses:  and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet.

Correlative conjunctions:  The following join two main clauses only:  both … and, not only … but also, whether … or, either … or, and neither … nor (usually with no comma).

With semicolons but not with commas, the following connectives can be used to introduce the next clause:  consequently, however, in fact, moreover, subsequently, in addition, also, indeed, then, nevertheless, therefore, in contrast.

            Example:

–   Malcolm rode the bus to school; however, he prefers to walk.

–   Shannon bought a new car; moreover, she purchased a motorcycle, too.

            Any of the subordinating conjunctions, placed at the beginning of a main clause, subordinates that clause and makes it now “less important,” although still adding interesting facts to the sentence.  Some of these subordinating conjunctions function as prepositions.  “Before,” for example, can be either a preposition or an introductory adverb, depending upon how “before” is used.  Following are the subordinating conjunctions:

after

although

as

as far as

as long as

as soon as

as if

because

before

even if

even though

if

inasmuch as

insofar as

provided that

since

so that

that

though

until

unless

when

whenever

where

wherever

whereas

while

why

           

The challenge:  When to subordinate a clause?  When should a clause be written as a main clause and when should it be a dependent clause?

Examples:

Compound sentences:  Two simple sentences together are related, meaningful, and grammatically equal and are joined by a coordinating conjunction and a comma.

            Ex:  Venice floods during a full moon, and tourists use raised walkways.

Complex sentences:  A complex sentence can be formed by combining two main clauses into a more complex sentence.  In a compound sentence example, the writer implies that both statements are of equal value.  However, in a complex sentence example, the author implies that the flooding becomes an interesting detail subordinate to people using the raised walkways, stressed because of the main clause.

            Ex:  When Venice floods, tourists use raised walkways.

Simple sentence:  The same information can be combined into a simple sentence using prepositional phrases.

            Ex:  Tourists use raised walkways in Venice during floods of the full moon.

When writers coordinate (combine ideas of equal value) or subordinate (present one idea as more important than another), they must use the proper forms of coordination or subordination.

RELATIONSHIPS IN COMPOUND SENTENCES

‘and’ – shows addition, something added

‘but’ – indicates an opposite thought is about to happen

‘or’ – signals an alternative to the first thought

‘nor’ – indicates a negative alternative thought is about to follow

‘for’ – shows a reason for the first thought or clause

‘yet’ – indicates another opposite thought about to follow

RELATIONSHIPS IN COMPLEX SENTENCES

time – after, as long as, as soon as, before, since, until, when, whenever, whil

condition – if, when, provided that, unless

contrast – although, even though, though, while, whereas

degree – as far as, inasmuch as, insofar as

place – where, wherever

cause – because, since, as

When is a main clause appropriate and when is a subordinate clause appropriate?  Obviously, the answer lies with the writer, who should know the differences between these handy elements.