--- title: "Subordinate clauses" description: "Use subordination (when, if, that, because) and co-ordination (or, and, but) to join clauses and create compound and complex sentences" canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/subordinate-clauses-mt_wq-1OJ_8s5 source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/subordinate-clauses-mt_wq-1OJ_8s5.md retrieved: 2026-11-12 --- > **Agent view.** This is the Markdown twin of the page, for tools and assistants. > When to use this site, and the call that answers each job: https://lightmysky.com/agent-instructions.md > API description (OpenAPI 3.1): https://lightmysky.com/openapi.json · Authentication: https://lightmysky.com/auth.md > Pricing: https://lightmysky.com/pricing.md · Catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms.txt · Full catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms-full.txt > Every machine-readable file on this domain: https://lightmysky.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json > Ask for Markdown with `Accept: text/markdown`, a `.md` address, or `?mode=agent`. # Subordinate clauses Use subordination (when, if, that, because) and co-ordination (or, and, but) to join clauses and create compound and complex sentences Subject: English · Area: Grammar & Punctuation · Ages 6 to 9 Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/subordinate-clauses-mt_wq-1OJ_8s5 ## Ready when they can - Write 'I stayed inside because it was raining' using a subordinating conjunction - Use 'but' and 'or' to join ideas: 'I wanted to play but it was raining' - Use 'when' and 'if' clauses in writing: 'If it stops raining, we can go outside' ## Lesson: Joining ideas with because, but, when, and if You have joined ideas with and. And adds an idea: 'I packed socks, and I packed shoes.' Or offers a choice: 'Would you like a peach or a pear?' Because gives a reason: 'I closed the window because the room was cold.' Ask why the window was closed. The words after because answer that question. *(drawing: Because introduces the reason. Here, the reason is that the room was cold.)* But shows a contrast, such as something unexpected or something that gets in the way of a plan. 'Zara wanted to visit the park, but the gate was locked.' The locked gate gets in the way of her plan. And would add an idea without pointing out this contrast. If gives a condition: 'If the ground is dry, we can have a picnic.' This picnic plan depends on the ground being dry. It does not promise a picnic. When points to a time: 'When the music starts, we dance.' It tells us when we dance. That can join what someone thinks or says to an idea. 'I think that the dog is hungry.' The idea after that is what I think. 'Sam said that the shop was shut.' The idea after that is what Sam said. So points to a result: 'The door was shut, so I knocked.' Knocking was my response to the shut door. To find the two short sentences, take out so: 'The door was shut.' 'I knocked.' Keep both ideas and their words when you split the sentence. A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. 'The dog barked' can be a complete sentence. Add because: 'because the dog barked'. This is a subordinate clause. On its own, it leaves the reader waiting for the rest. Add a main clause: 'I woke up because the dog barked.' **Recap.** Choose a joining word for an added idea, a choice, a reason, a contrast, a condition, a time or a result. *Original lesson, practice questions and flashcards written for this learning dataset.* ## Practice 24 questions on this page, each with its working shown. ## Needs first - [Joining Words with 'And'](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/joining-words-with-and-mt_YXVQaufkKO) ## Optional connections - [Listening and responding](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/listening-and-responding-mt_mB7DVai-Uf) - [Four Types of Sentences](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/four-types-of-sentences-mt_u1-UfD0rTH) ## Opens up - [Commas After Introductory Elements](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/commas-after-introductory-elements-mt_0wUwxyBs5y) - [Fixing Fragments & Run-Ons](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/fixing-fragments-and-run-ons-mt_7oZ2YenzhX) - [Grammar Terms: Clauses and Conjunctions](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/grammar-terms-clauses-and-conjunctions-mt_B8JOz79O6t) - [Commas Before Joining Words](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/commas-before-joining-words-mt_j2idD_jq73) - [The subjunctive mood](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/the-subjunctive-mood-mt_k7VtbWdfDO) - [Conjunctions, Prepositions and Interjections](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/conjunctions-prepositions-and-interjections-mt_LN_g2b3d34) - [Correlative Conjunctions](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/correlative-conjunctions-mt_S7CnyZCnxg) - [Expressing Time, Place and Cause](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/expressing-time-place-and-cause-mt_uorNrPTh6U) - [Punctuating Clauses](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/punctuating-clauses-mt_xYjD_kA70s) - [Relative Clauses](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/relative-clauses-mt_YQ64pzcLDl) - [Varying Sentence Structure](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/varying-sentence-structure-mt_ZO2iP89cld)