What Are Subordinate Clauses? (Examples Included!)

May 15, 2025

Confused about subordinate clauses? We can’t blame you! It has a subject and a verb, but you still need a main clause, or else it won’t make sense. So, if your sentences are consistently flagged as fragments by your English teacher, it might be because you’re using a subordinate clause as a complete sentence. Here’s everything you need to know about subordinate clauses, including examples.

Related:

Table of Contents

What Is a Subordinate Clause?

As mentioned earlier, a subordinate clause features a subject and a verb, but it doesn’t express a full idea. To simplify the subordinate clause meaning, you can think of it like a puzzle piece. It fits into something bigger, but on its own, it doesn’t show the full picture.

For instance, “Although he apologized…” is a subordinate clause or dependent clause because it doesn’t make sense on its own.

You’ll need to attach an independent clause to make a subordinate clause into a full sentence, like: “Although he apologized, the tension stayed.”

Now, unlike a subordinate clause, the independent clause is a complete sentence all by itself. In the example sentence above, “The tension stayed” is an independent clause; it is clear and makes sense on its own.

Subordinate clauses often begin with specific connecting words that signal their role. These include:

Subordinating conjunctions (like although, because, if, when, since, while, unless, so that) which typically introduce adverbial clauses.

Relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) which usually introduce adjective clauses.

Other words (like what, how, whether, that, if, when, where, why) which can introduce noun clauses.

These words act as connectors, linking the subordinate clause to an independent clause to form a complete thought.

Subordinate Clauses Example

Definitions are nice, but examples are where things start to make sense. Below are some common examples you’ve been using all your whole life, probably without even noticing they are subordinate clauses.

Toby went to bed because it was bedtime already.
Even though it was her birthday, she still went to work.
I learned super big words because of my online teacher’s fun exercises.
Wear earplugs and take a deep breath before you swim.
Academic writing is hard because of its complex ideas.
If you see seagulls, don’t give them cat food.
I’ll go dancing if I finish my homework.
She smiled when he handed her the note.
The board game that you gave me was excellent.
He doesn’t know what he wants for dessert.
Since we’re already late, let’s just skip the quiz.
This is the place where I grew up.
Unless you apologize, he’s not going to forgive you.
It makes perfect sense to go out because the grown-ups are gone.

How Do You Identify a Subordinate Clause?

A simple way to spot a subordinate clause is to look for a clause with a subject and a verb that doesn’t make sense on its own.

Let’s try one: “Because the pizza was cold.” The subject is “the pizza.” The Verb is “was.” On its own, the sentence is not complete. You are left asking: “And then…?”

Now take this version: “Because the pizza was cold, I microwaved it.” This sentence is now complete. The first part is the subordinate clause, and the second is the independent or main clause. Together, they make sense.

Tip: If a ‘sentence’ sounds like something’s missing or like there’s more to be said, it’s probably a subordinate clause.

Types of Subordinate Clauses

Subordinate clauses vary in their function and fall into three main categories:

Subordinate Adverbial Clause

It answers the questions of when, why, how, where, or under what conditions something happens. Think of it as the clause that sets the scene or explains the reason behind the action in your main sentence.

Examples:

Before the sun rises, I like to take a quiet walk.
He didn’t leave until the rain stopped.

Subordinate Adjective Clause

If the clause is describing a noun or pronoun in the main sentence, you’ve got yourself an adjective clause. It usually starts with who, which, or that and sticks close to the noun it is describing.

Examples:

The student who always raises her hand answered first.
I lost the notes that you gave me yesterday.

Subordinate Noun Clause

The subordinate noun clause takes the place of a noun in a sentence. It can function like a subject, object, or complement and often starts with words like what, who, whether, that, or how.

Examples:

I don’t know what she wants.
What you said yesterday really surprised me.

When to Use Commas in Subordinate Clauses?

Subordinate clauses sometimes need commas; sometimes, they don’t. It depends on where they show up in the clause sentence and whether the info they add is essential. Let’s look at when to use them.

Adverbial Clause Appears at the Beginning

Place a comma right after an adverbial clause if used at the beginning of a sentence. The comma gives your reader a little pause and keeps the flow of the sentence smooth. If the adverbial clause appears at the end of the sentence, a comma is generally not needed.

Correct: Although I was tired, I kept studying.
Incorrect: Although I was tired I kept studying.

A Nonessential Adjective (Relative) Clause Appears After Its Noun

If the clause adds extra information that is not necessary, you need commas. These are called nonessential clauses. You won’t need a comma when the clause is essential to understanding which person or thing you are talking about.

Correct: My brother, who lives in Nairobi, just got married.
Incorrect: My brother who lives in Nairobi just got married.

Final Thoughts

There you have it! In summary, a subordinate clauses have a subject and a verb, but, interestingly, they can’t stand alone as complete sentences. Although they are just a small phrase, they support the main clause.