Page 530 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

3
Other conjunctions, like because, when, that or which, are called 'subordinating conjunctions'. A subordinating conjunction together with its following clause acts like a part of the other clause.
ADVERB
I'llphoneyou Itomorrow.
ADVERB
/'IIphoneyou Iwhe"Iarrive.
(When I arrive is similar to tomorrow - it acts like an adverb in the
clause I'll phone you ... ) OBJECT
He told me Ia lie.
OBJECT
He told me I that he loved me.
(that he loved me is similar to a lie- it is the object in the clause
He told me ... )
ADJECTIVE
It's an I unallswerable I question.
ADJECTIVE
It's a questioll I which nobody can answer.
(which nobody call answer is similar to llnanswerable- it acts like an
adjective in the clause It's a question . .. )
Some conjunctions are made up of two or more words.
I stayed an extra night so that I could see Ann.
Let me know the moment that you arrive.
In grammars, clauses that follow subordinating conjunctions are called 'subordinate clauses' or 'dependent clauses'.
position of subordinate clauses
Adverb clauses can usually go either first or last in a sentence (depending on what is to be emphasised - the most important information usually comes last).
- While I was having a shower, I slipped on the floor. (emphasises what
happened)
I slipped on the floor while I was having a shower. (emphasises when it
happened)
- Ifyou need help. just let me know.
Just let me know ifyou need help.
- Although the bicycle was expensive, she decided to buy it.
She decided to buy the bicycle although it was expensive.
- Because she was too angry to speak, Ann said nothing. Ann said nothing, because she was too angry to speak.
sentence structure (2): conjunctions 510
4 punctuation
Commas are often used to separate longer or more complicated clauses. Shorter pairs of clauses are often connected without commas. Compare:
I came home and the others went dancing.
I decided to come home earlier than I had planned, and the others spent the
evening at the local club.
page 498