OBJECTIVE:
Subordinate clauses have both subjects and verbs in the word group but cannot stand alone as a sentence. They begin with ether subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns.

Some subordinate conjunctions you might use:
although, even though, as, because, since, unless, while if, then…

Some relative pronouns you might use:
who(m), which, that, whose,

Subordinate clauses allow us to place less important information in the subordinate clause.

MODEL SENTENCE:
Even though Buffalo Bill was a buffalo hunter and an Indian fighter, he became the symbol of the American West.
“Even though Buffalo Bill was a buffalo hunter and an Indian fighter,” is a subordinate clause.

The men who fought bravely in Operation Iraqi Freedom were awarded silver stars.
“who fought bravely in Operation Iraqi Freedom” is a subordinate clause with the relative pronoun “who”. No commas are needed to offset this clause because the information is necessary for the sentence to achieve its meaning.

KEY PUNCTUATION DETAIL:
If subordinate clauses occur in a sentence, then two commas must offset the clause if this information in the clause is NOT necessary for the sentence to convey its meaning.

MODEL PIC-LIT:

GUIDED PRACTICE WRITING PROMPT:

1. Go to piclits.com
2. Sign in with your e-mail and password
3. Select a picture from the gallery of pictures
4. In DRAG-N-DROP mode, generate a sentence that creates a subordinate clause by either subordinate conjunctions: although, even though, as, because, since, unless, while if, then… or relative pronouns: who(m), which, that, whose.