subordinate
1
5.7
- adjective
- /səˈbɔːrdɪnət/
- Specialized
:
subordinado
- In the sentence 'She smiled because it was sunny,' the clause 'because it was sunny' is a subordinate clause.
- subordinate clause
- main and subordinate clauses
V word order is most common in subordinate clauses.
- V word order is most common in subordinate clauses.
- This is commonly found in subordinate clauses and clauses introduced by and and or OC.
Examples
-
Although children's use of subordinate clauses is reflected in MLCU, calculating the frequency of subordinate clause production provides a more direct assessment of children's use of complex syntax.
Academic text (2014) -
When analyzing complex sentences, identify the subordinate clauses that provide additional information but cannot stand alone.
-
V word order is most common in subordinate clauses.
-
And, of course, education here must take a subordinate position to feeding, employing, healing people, and supplying them with water, power, and roads.
Academic text (2005) -
Thus, the pronouns are the subject of a subordinate clause and must be in the nominative case.
Blog text (27) -
A T-unit is defined as an independent clause with its dependent (subordinate) clauses.
Academic text (2013) -
Were his sentence recast as two, each incorporating the subordinate material without hiatuses, difficulty would remain but be considerably lessened.
Academic text (2005) -
Scott (1988) described how school-age children's utterances lengthened and became increasingly complex by using a greater number of subordinate clauses.
Academic text (2014) -
The teacher explained that a subordinate clause depends on a main clause for its meaning.
Synonyms
3
3.7
A clause that cannot stand alone and needs another clause
Antonyms
- Specialized
1
4.0
A part of a sentence that can stand alone and give a complete idea
Compounds
- Specialized
1
4.2
A part of a sentence that cannot stand alone and works like a noun, adjective, or adverb
- Specialized
A word that introduces a clause that cannot stand alone, like because or although
- Specialized
A word that names a more specific kind than a general word, like 'poodle' for 'dog'
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Subordinate comes from the Latin parts sub- 'under' and ordinare 'to put in order'. A subordinate clause is 'under' the main clause, so it cannot stand alone and depends on the main clause.