Subordination

Definition

Subordination refers to the grammatical structure that connects clauses of unequal rank, where a subordinate clause depends on a main clause to provide meaning. This technique is essential for creating complex sentences, enabling writers to express nuanced relationships between ideas and maintain precision and clarity in their writing.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Subordination helps to clarify the relationship between ideas, showing how one idea is dependent on or related to another.
2. Using subordination effectively can enhance the flow of writing, making it more engaging and easier to understand.
3. Writers often use subordinating conjunctions, like 'because,' 'although,' or 'since,' to introduce subordinate clauses.
4. Subordination is crucial for creating variety in sentence structure, which can keep readers interested and prevent monotony.
5. Overusing subordination can lead to overly complex sentences that confuse readers, so balance is essential.

Review Questions

• How does subordination contribute to the overall clarity of a piece of writing?
  • Subordination enhances clarity by establishing clear relationships between main ideas and supporting details. When subordinate clauses are used effectively, they help readers understand how different pieces of information relate to one another. This structure allows writers to convey complex thoughts without sacrificing coherence, making it easier for readers to follow the writer's intended message.
• In what ways can varying the use of subordination improve sentence structure in writing?
  • Varying the use of subordination can lead to a more dynamic writing style. By mixing simple, compound, and complex sentences, writers can create rhythm and keep readers engaged. This variation helps avoid monotony while also allowing for the expression of intricate ideas through subordinate clauses, leading to a richer and more layered narrative.
• Evaluate how effective use of subordination can impact the reader's perception of the author's argument.
  • Effective use of subordination can significantly shape how readers perceive an author's argument by clarifying connections between points and emphasizing key relationships. When an author skillfully employs subordinate clauses, it demonstrates depth of thought and organization, leading readers to view the argument as well-reasoned and coherent. In contrast, poor use or overuse of subordination can make arguments seem convoluted or difficult to follow, undermining the overall effectiveness of the communication.

Related terms

Independent Clause: A group of words that can stand alone as a sentence, containing a subject and a verb, and expressing a complete thought.

Dependent Clause: A group of words that contains a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a sentence; it relies on an independent clause for its meaning.

Complex Sentence: A sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, allowing for the expression of more intricate ideas.