00:00 - [Voiceover] Hey, grammarians. 00:01 Today let's start talking about subordinating conjunctions. 00:04 Words like, although and after and because. 00:08 It's a pretty complicated topic, 00:11 because in order to understand subordinating conjunctions, 00:13 you have to understand the difference 00:15 between an independent, and a dependent clause. 00:19 Because that's what subordinating conjunctions do, 00:21 is they unite independent and dependent clauses. 00:25 That's what subordinating conjunctions do. 00:27 But, what are these? 00:30 You know, what is an independent and a dependent clause? 00:33 Well okay so first of all, let's back up again. 00:36 What is a clause? 00:37 A clause is just a language chunk 00:39 that has a subject and a verb. 00:42 That's what a clause does. 00:44 All sentences are clauses, 00:46 but not all clauses are sentences. 00:49 I'll write that down. 00:50 So, all sentences are clauses, 00:52 but not all clauses are sentences. 00:55 It's possible to have something that has both 00:57 a subject and a verb, that doesn't stand on its own, 01:00 and that's a dependent clause. 01:01 We'd call that a sentence fragment. 01:03 What a dependent clause does, 01:07 is provide extra information that isn't necessary 01:11 to the understanding of the sentence, right. 01:14 But an independent clause has 01:16 to be able to stand on its own. 01:18 So, let's take a look at the sentence here. 01:20 Herbert performed his irresponsible experiments 01:23 because he was curious. 01:25 And this sentence is composed of two clauses. 01:28 In red, we've got this independent clause, 01:30 Herbert performed his irresponsible experiments. 01:33 And in green, we have this dependent clause, 01:36 because he was curious. 01:37 Now, we know that because he was curious, 01:39 is the dependent clause. 01:41 Because, it explains more of why Herbert did what he did. 01:46 Right, it is explaining the reason 01:48 for his performing irresponsible experiments. 01:52 But, because he was curious on its own, 01:56 doesn't work as a sentence, he was curious does. 02:00 That's a sentence. 02:01 But, because he was curious 02:02 asks more questions than it answers. 02:05 Because he was curious, what? 02:08 You know, if a clause causes you to ask. 02:11 Yeah, so what? 02:13 Then it's probably a dependent clause, write that down. 02:16 Put that in the doctrine. 02:18 So, a dependent clause should 02:20 cause you to ask, yeah so what? 02:23 Because a dependent clause leans 02:25 against an independent clause. 02:27 It's like a ladder laid up against the tree. 02:29 The tree is still gonna be standing there 02:31 whether or not the ladder is there or not. 02:32 But, the ladder is useful because it allows you to get up 02:35 further into the tree and explore its leaves, 02:38 if that makes sense. 02:39 It allows you to get further context 02:40 and further understanding. 02:42 But the tree could just as easily, 02:44 it's still a tree without the ladder. 02:45 Right, you don't have to have 02:46 a ladder in order to be a tree. 02:55 All right so, another thing about the difference 02:57 between a coordinating and a subordinating conjunction, 03:01 is that coordinating conjunctions 03:03 only unite independent clauses with each other. 03:07 Which means, any sentence that has 03:09 a coordinating conjunction like, 03:11 but or anything else in fanboys,. 03:14 Which is for and nor, but, or yet so, right. 03:18 Can be separated into two sentences, two separate sentences. 03:22 Look at this, so Jimothy liked to wash the dishes, 03:25 but Beckany preferred to sweep the floor. 03:28 Now these can each be their own sentences. 03:30 Jimothy liked to wash the dishes. 03:31 Beckany preferred to sweep the floor. 03:33 We can combine these if we want to and, we have. 03:37 Whereas, this subordinating conjunction sentence 03:41 that begins with although, 03:44 cannot be separated into two sentences. 03:48 Although she loved Sir Reginald, 03:50 Lady Penelope hated his pranks. 03:52 So, Lady Penelope hated his pranks, that's a sentence. 03:55 Although she loved Sir Reginald, that's not a sentence. 03:57 This is a dependent clause so, this can be split. 04:02 (mouth sound effects) 04:03 This cannot be split, 04:05 because although she loved Sir Reginald, 04:06 doesn't stand on its own, it just grants additional context 04:10 and detail to the fact that Lady Penelope 04:12 hated Sir Reginald's pranks. 04:15 So, with that in mind, 04:16 here are some of the most 04:18 common subordinating conjunctions in English. 04:21 And some of these you might recognize as being adverbs 04:24 or prepositions in other contexts, 04:27 but you could also use them 04:29 to unite dependent and independent clauses. 04:32 So, here we go. 04:35 After, although, as, as if, because, 04:39 before, even if, even though, 04:43 if, if only, like, 04:46 rather than, since, that, 04:49 though, unless, until, 04:52 when, where, whereas, 04:56 wherever, whether, which, and, while. 05:02 All of these words have the power 05:03 to unite independent and dependent clauses. 05:08 You may notice some of them like, 05:09 after and before, are prepositions. 05:12 They can be used in many ways. 05:14 English is complicated, but I am confident 05:16 that you can figure this out 05:17 because you can learn anything. 05:20 These are some of the subordinating conjunctions of English. 05:23 David out.