Unlike a main clause, which can function independently as a complete sentence, a subordinate clause relies on a main clause to give it context and meaning. Subordinate clauses often begin with subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns.

{"commentText":"how does a subordinate clause differ from a main clause?\n\n","stars":"5"}

Make your next step to fluency with Promova

large_girl_point_left.png

medium_girl_point_left.png

small_girl_point_left.png

thumbnail_girl_point_left.png

girl_point_left.png

Welcome to your language journey! 

Learn English with a handy app full of awesome lessons! 

thumbnail_phones.png

phones.png

Try Promova

Are you struggling to understand subordinate clauses in English? You're not alone. Many English learners find it challenging to distinguish between subordinate and independent clauses. However, once you understand the basics of subordinate clauses, you'll find it easier to construct complex sentences and express your ideas more clearly.<h2>What is a subordinate clause?</h2>A subordinate clause is a set of words with a subject and <a href="/english-grammar/verbs-in-english">a verb</a> that cannot be its own complete sentence. It needs to be attached to an independent clause to form a complete sentence.For example, "After I finished my homework" is a subordinate clause because it contains a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a sentence. However, if we add an independent clause, such as "I went to bed," we have a complete sentence:&nbsp;<blockquote>"After I finished my homework, I went to bed."</blockquote><h2>Subordinate clause definition and examples</h2>A subordinate clause is a dependent clause that cannot function as a sentence on its own. It is usually introduced by a subordinate conjunction or a relative pronoun.Subordinate clauses can be used to add complexity to a sentence, provide additional information, or show the relationship between two ideas.Here are some examples of subordinate clauses:<ul><li>Because I was tired, I went to bed early.</li><li>Although it was dark, we went for a walk.</li><li>When I finish work, I'll call you.</li><li>Whoever finishes first gets a prize.</li></ul>In each of these examples, the subordinate clause is highlighted in italics.<figure class="image"><img src="https://promova.com/content/Subordinate_Clause_feff3f6b0a.png" alt="Types of subordinate clauses" data-img="infographic"></figure><h2>Types of subordinate clauses</h2>There are three types of subordinate clauses: adverbial, adjectival, and nominal.An&nbsp;<a href="/english-grammar/adverb-clauses-in-english">adverbial clause</a> helps modify the verb in the independent clause and answers questions such as where, when, why, how, and to what extent.For example:<ul><li>After I finish my chores, I'll watch TV. (answers when)</li><li>I talked to her because I was worried. (answers why)</li></ul>An&nbsp;<a href="https://promova.com/english-grammar/adjective-clauses-in-english">adjectival clause</a> helps modify a noun or pronoun in the independent clause and describes or identifies it.For example:<ul><li>The book that I read last night was very interesting.</li><li>The woman whose dog barked is my neighbor.</li></ul>A&nbsp;nominal clause functions as a <a href="/english-grammar/nouns-in-english">noun</a> in the sentence and can act as a subject, object, or complement.For example:<ul><li>What you said hurt my feelings. (subject)</li><li>I don't know where he went. (object)</li><li>His biggest fear is that he'll fail. (complement)</li></ul><h2>Subordinate clause placement in a sentence</h2>The placement of a subordinate clause in a sentence depends on its type and function.An adverbial clause usually comes at the beginning or end of a sentence, while an adjectival clause usually comes right after the noun it modifies. A nominal clause can come anywhere in the sentence, depending on its function.For example:<ul><li>Adverbial clause: After I finish my homework, I'll watch TV. (beginning)</li><li>Adjectival clause: The book that I read last night was very interesting. (right after the noun)</li><li>Nominal clause: I don't know where he went. (object)</li></ul><h2>Subordinate clause vs. independent clause</h2>The main difference between a subordinate clause and an independent clause is that an independent clause can be its own sentence, while a subordinate clause cannot.For example:<ul><li>Independent clause: I went to bed early. (complete sentence)</li><li>Subordinate clause: Because I was tired. (incomplete sentence)</li></ul><h2>Common subordinate conjunctions</h2><a href="/english-grammar/subordinating-conjunctions-in-english">Subordinate conjunctions</a> are words that introduce subordinate clauses. Some common subordinate conjunctions include:<ul><li>after</li><li>although</li><li>as</li><li>as if</li><li>because</li><li>before</li><li>even though</li><li>if</li><li>in order that</li><li>since</li><li>so that</li><li>than</li><li>though</li><li>unless</li><li>until</li><li>when</li><li>whenever</li><li>where</li><li>wherever</li><li>whether</li><li>while</li></ul>3<h2>List of common subordinate clauses and their functions</h2>Here is a list of common subordinate clauses and their functions:Adverbial clauses<ul><li>Time: after, before, since, until, when, whenever, while</li><li>Place: where, wherever</li><li>Manner: as, as if</li><li>Reason: because, since, as</li><li>Condition: if, unless, provided that, as long as</li><li>Concession: although, even though, though</li><li>Purpose: in order that, so that</li></ul>Adjectival clauses<ul><li><a href="/english-grammar/relative-pronouns-in-english">Relative pronouns</a>: who, whom, whose, which, that</li><li>Relative adverbs: where, when, why</li></ul>Nominal clauses<ul><li>That-clauses: that, whether</li><li>Wh-clauses: what, when, where, who, whom, whose, why, how</li></ul><h2>Summary</h2>By understanding the different types of subordinate clauses, their functions, and how to use them correctly, you can make your writing more complex, interesting, and clear. Keep practicing and experimenting with different sentence structures, and you'll soon become a master of English grammar!

A subordinate clause is a set of words with a subject and a verb that cannot be its own complete sentence. It needs to be attached to an independent clause to form a complete sentence.

Iryna is a Materials Writer and Methodologist at Promova. She is a Cambridge Certified tutor. In 2023, Iryna celebrated her 11th year as an English tutor. She is proud of the work she has done and the impact she has had on her students' lives. Iryna continues to stay up-to-date with the latest teaching methods and resources, and is always looking for new ways to help her students succeed. Over years, Iryna has taught English to students of all ages and backgrounds, from young children to adults. She has helped them improve their grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, and has watched them gain confidence and fluency in the language. Her students often comment on her patience, kindness, and ability to make learning fun. When Iryna is not busy teaching English, she loves to indulge in her hobbies, which are a reflection of her curious and adventurous spirit. A bookworm at heart, Iryna enjoys losing herself in the pages of a good novel. She also loves to explore the world around her, traveling to new places and experiencing different cultures. And when she's not lost in a book or exploring new places, she cherishes spending time with her friends, sharing stories and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Find out more on her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eirene.andrus/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/irinaandrus">YouTube.</a><img class="image_resized" style="width:100%;" src="https://promova.com/content/certificate_Iryna_andrus_f95f487324.jpg" alt="Certificate Iryna Andrus">

Iryna Andrus

Você está com dificuldades para entender as cláusulas subordinadas em inglês? Você não está sozinho. Muitos estudantes de inglês acham desafiador distinguir entre cláusulas subordinadas e independentes. No entanto, uma vez que você compreenda os fundamentos das cláusulas subordinadas, encontrará mais facilidade para construir frases complexas e expressar suas ideias de forma mais clara.<h2>O que é uma cláusula subordinada?</h2>Uma cláusula subordinada é um conjunto de palavras com sujeito e&nbsp;<a href="/pt/english-grammar/verbs-in-english">verbo&nbsp;</a>que não pode ser uma frase completa por si só. Ela precisa estar ligada a uma cláusula independente para formar uma frase completa.Por exemplo, "After I finished my homework" é uma cláusula subordinada porque contém um sujeito e um verbo, mas não pode ficar sozinha como uma frase. No entanto, se adicionarmos uma cláusula independente, como "I went to bed", teremos uma frase completa:<blockquote>"After I finished my homework, I went to bed."</blockquote><h2>Definição e exemplos de cláusula subordinada</h2>Uma cláusula subordinada é uma cláusula dependente que não pode funcionar como uma frase por conta própria. Geralmente é introduzida por uma conjunção subordinativa ou um pronome relativo.Cláusulas subordinadas podem ser usadas para adicionar complexidade a uma frase, fornecer informações adicionais ou mostrar a relação entre duas ideias.Aqui estão alguns exemplos de cláusulas subordinadas:<ul><li>Because I was tired, I went to bed early.</li><li>Although it was dark, we went for a walk.</li><li>When I finish work, I'll call you.</li><li>Whoever finishes first gets a prize.</li></ul>Em cada um desses exemplos, a cláusula subordinada está destacada em itálico.<h2>Tipos de cláusulas subordinadas</h2>Existem três tipos de cláusulas subordinadas: adverbiais, adjetivas e nominais.Uma&nbsp;<a href="/pt/english-grammar/adverb-clauses-in-english">cláusula adverbial</a> ajuda a modificar o verbo na cláusula independente e responde perguntas como onde, quando, por que, como e em que medida.Por exemplo:<ul><li>After I finish my chores, I'll watch TV. (responde quando)</li><li>I talked to her because I was worried. (responde por que)</li></ul>Uma&nbsp;<a href="/pt/english-grammar/adjective-clauses-in-english">cláusula adjetiva</a> ajuda a modificar um substantivo ou pronome na cláusula independente e o descreve ou identifica.Por exemplo:<ul><li>The book that I read last night was very interesting.</li><li>The woman whose dog barked is my neighbor.</li></ul>Uma&nbsp;cláusula nominal&nbsp;funciona como um&nbsp;<a href="/pt/english-grammar/nouns-in-english">substantivo&nbsp;</a>na frase e pode atuar como sujeito, objeto ou complemento.Por exemplo:<ul><li>What you said hurt my feelings. (sujeito)</li><li>I don't know where he went. (objeto)</li><li>His biggest fear is that he'll fail. (complemento)</li></ul><h2>Posicionamento da cláusula subordinada na frase</h2>O posicionamento de uma cláusula subordinada na frase depende do seu tipo e função.Uma cláusula adverbial geralmente vem no início ou no final da frase, enquanto uma cláusula adjetiva geralmente vem logo após o substantivo que modifica. Uma cláusula nominal pode aparecer em qualquer lugar na frase, dependendo de sua função.Por exemplo:<ul><li>Cláusula adverbial: After I finish my homework, I'll watch TV.&nbsp; (início)</li><li>Cláusula adjetiva:&nbsp;The book that I read last night was very interesting. (logo após o substantivo)</li><li>Cláusula nominal:&nbsp;I don't know where he went. (objeto)</li></ul><h2>Cláusula subordinada vs. cláusula independente</h2>A principal diferença entre uma cláusula subordinada e uma independente é que a cláusula independente pode ser uma frase por si só, enquanto a cláusula subordinada não pode.Por exemplo:<ul><li>Cláusula independente: "I went to bed early". (frase completa)</li><li>Cláusula subordinada:&nbsp;"Because I was tired". (frase incompleta)</li></ul><h2>Conjunções subordinativas comuns</h2><a href="/pt/english-grammar/subordinating-conjunctions-in-english">Conjunções subordinativas</a> são palavras que introduzem cláusulas subordinadas. Algumas conjunções subordinativas comuns incluem:<ul><li>after</li><li>although</li><li>as</li><li>as if</li><li>because</li><li>before</li><li>even though</li><li>if</li><li>in order that</li><li>since</li><li>so that</li><li>than</li><li>though</li><li>unless</li><li>until</li><li>when</li><li>whenever</li><li>where</li><li>wherever</li><li>whether</li><li>while</li></ul>3<h2>Lista de cláusulas subordinadas comuns e suas funções</h2>Aqui está uma lista de cláusulas subordinadas comuns e suas funções:Cláusulas adverbiais<ul><li>Tempo: after, before, since, until, when, whenever, while</li><li>Lugar: where, wherever</li><li>Maneira: as, as if</li><li>Razão: because, since, as</li><li>Condição: if, unless, provided that, as long as</li><li>Concessão: although, even though, though</li><li>Propósito: in order that, so that</li></ul>Cláusulas adjetivas<ul><li><a href="/pt/english-grammar/relative-pronouns-in-english">Pronomes relativos:</a> who, whom, whose, which, that</li><li>Advérbios relativos: where, when, why</li></ul>Cláusulas nominais<ul><li>That-clauses:&nbsp;that, whether</li><li>Wh-clauses: what, when, where, who, whom, whose, why, how</li></ul><h2>Resumo</h2>Ao entender os diferentes tipos de cláusulas subordinadas, suas funções e como usá-las corretamente, você pode tornar sua escrita mais complexa, interessante e clara. Continue praticando e experimentando diferentes estruturas de frases, e você logo se tornará um mestre da gramática inglesa!

Uma oração subordinada é um conjunto de palavras com um sujeito e um verbo que não pode ser sua própria sentença completa. Ela precisa ser anexada a uma oração independente para formar uma frase completa.

Mais artigos úteis:

Cláusula subordinada

¿Estás teniendo dificultades para comprender las cláusulas subordinadas en inglés? No estás solo. Muchos estudiantes de inglés encuentran desafiante distinguir entre cláusulas subordinadas e independientes. Sin embargo, una vez que entiendas los conceptos básicos de las cláusulas subordinadas, te resultará más fácil construir oraciones complejas y expresar tus ideas de manera más clara.<h2>¿Qué es una cláusula subordinada?</h2>Una cláusula subordinada es un conjunto de palabras con un sujeto y&nbsp;<a href="/es/english-grammar/verbs-in-english">un verbo</a> que no puede ser una oración completa por sí misma. Necesita estar unida a una cláusula independiente para formar una oración completa.Por ejemplo, "After I finished my homework" es una cláusula subordinada porque contiene un sujeto y un verbo, pero no puede sostenerse como una oración independiente. Sin embargo, si agregamos una cláusula independiente, como "I went to bed", tenemos una oración completa:<blockquote>"After I finished my homework, I went to bed."</blockquote><h2>Definición y ejemplos de cláusulas subordinadas</h2>Una cláusula subordinada es una cláusula dependiente que no puede funcionar como una oración por sí misma. Por lo general, se introduce con una conjunción subordinada o un pronombre relativo.Las cláusulas subordinadas se pueden utilizar para agregar complejidad a una oración, proporcionar información adicional o mostrar la relación entre dos ideas.Aquí tienes algunos ejemplos de cláusulas subordinadas:<ul><li>Because I was tired, I went to bed.</li><li>Although it was dark, we went for a walk.</li><li>When I finish work, I'll call you.</li><li>Whoever finishes first gets a prize.</li></ul>En cada uno de estos ejemplos, la cláusula subordinada está resaltada en cursiva.<figure class="image"><img src="https://promova.com/content/clausulas_subordinadas_en_ingles_2955c9dd0b.png" alt="Aprende sobre cláusulas subordinadas en inglés: Estructura y uso" data-img="infographic"></figure><h2>Tipos de cláusulas subordinadas</h2>Hay tres tipos de cláusulas subordinadas: adverbial, adjetival y nominal.Una&nbsp;<a href="/es/english-grammar/adverb-clauses-in-english">cláusula adverbial</a> ayuda a modificar el verbo en la cláusula independiente y responde preguntas como dónde, cuándo, por qué, cómo y en qué medida.Por ejemplo:<ul><li>After I finish my chores, I'll watch TV. (responde “when”)</li><li>I talked to her because I was worried. (responde “why”)</li></ul>Una&nbsp;<a href="/es/english-grammar/adjective-clauses-in-english">cláusula adjetival</a>&nbsp;ayuda a modificar un sustantivo o pronombre en la cláusula independiente y lo describe o lo identifica.Por ejemplo:<ul><li>The book that I read last night was very interesting.</li><li>The woman whose dog barked is my neighbor.</li></ul>Una&nbsp;cláusula nominal funciona como un&nbsp;<a href="/es/english-grammar/nouns-in-english">sustantivo</a> en la oración y puede actuar como sujeto, objeto o complemento.Por ejemplo:<ul><li>What you said hurt my feelings. (sujeto)</li><li>I don't know where he went. (objeto)</li><li>His biggest fear is that he'll fail. (complemento)</li></ul><h2>Colocación de cláusulas subordinadas en una oración</h2>La ubicación de una cláusula subordinada en una oración depende de su tipo y función.Una cláusula adverbial generalmente se coloca al principio o al final de una oración, mientras que una cláusula adjetival generalmente va justo después del sustantivo que modifica. Una cláusula nominal puede estar en cualquier parte de la oración, dependiendo de su función.Por ejemplo:<ul><li>Cláusula adverbial: "After I finish my homework, I'll watch TV." (al principio)</li><li>Cláusula adjetival: "The book that I read last night was very interesting." (justo después del sustantivo)</li><li>Cláusula nominal: "I don't know where he went." (objeto)</li></ul><h2>Cláusula subordinada vs. cláusula independiente</h2>La principal diferencia entre una cláusula subordinada y una cláusula independiente es que una cláusula independiente puede ser una oración completa por sí misma, mientras que una cláusula subordinada no puede.Por ejemplo:<ul><li>Cláusula independiente: "I went to bed early." (oración completa)</li><li>Cláusula subordinada: "Because I was tired." (oración incompleta)</li></ul><h2>Conjunciones subordinadas comunes</h2><a href="/es/english-grammar/subordinating-conjunctions-in-english">Las conjunciones subordinadas</a> son palabras que introducen cláusulas subordinadas. Algunas conjunciones subordinadas comunes incluyen:<ul><li>after</li><li>although</li><li>as</li><li>as if</li><li>because</li><li>before</li><li>even though</li><li>if</li><li>in order that</li><li>since</li><li>so that</li><li>than</li><li>though</li><li>unless</li><li>until</li><li>when</li><li>whenever</li><li>where</li><li>wherever</li><li>whether</li><li>while</li></ul>3<h2>Lista de cláusulas subordinadas comunes y sus funciones</h2>Aquí tienes una lista de cláusulas subordinadas comunes y sus funciones:Cláusulas adverbiales:<ul><li>Tiempo: after, before, since, until, when, whenever, while</li><li>Lugar: where, wherever</li><li>Manera: as, as if</li><li>Razón: because, since, as</li><li>Condición: if, unless, provided that, as long as</li><li>Concesión: although, even though, though</li><li>Propósito: in order that, so that</li></ul>Cláusulas adjectivos:<ul><li>Pronombres relativos: who, whom, whose, which, that</li><li>Adverbios relativos: where, when, why</li></ul>Cláusulas nominales:<ul><li>Cláusulas con "that": that, whether</li><li>Cláusulas con "wh": what, when, where, who, whom, whose, why, how</li></ul><h2>Resumen</h2>Al comprender los diferentes tipos de cláusulas subordinadas, sus funciones y cómo usarlas correctamente, puedes hacer que tu escritura sea más compleja, interesante y clara. Sigue practicando y experimentando con diferentes estructuras de oraciones, ¡y pronto te convertirás en un maestro de la gramática inglesa!

Una oración subordinada es un conjunto de palabras con sujeto y verbo que no puede constituir una frase completa. Debe ir unida a una oración independiente para formar una frase completa.

English grammar

large_Subordinate Clause.png

medium_Subordinate Clause.png

small_Subordinate Clause.png

thumbnail_Subordinate Clause.png

Subordinate Clause.png

Subordinate Clause

A group of words that can stand alone as a sentence

A group of words with a subject and verb, but cannot stand alone as a sentence

A group of words without a subject or verb

A group of words that does not express a complete thought

The book that I read last night was interesting.

I believe that honesty is the best policy.

Although he was late, he still made an effort to join.

I enjoy reading, I often visit the library.

Even though he studied hard, he didn’t pass the test.

Before we leave, make sure to check the doors.

The cake, which was delicious, was made by Sarah.

The man, who was jogging in the park, found the wallet that I lost.

My friend, who is a chef, cooks delicious meals.