LATTC, English 21, Mr. T. Stevens

WARNING: Do not go beyond this punctuation section until you have accomplished the following:

Memorized all the subordinators listed below, all FIFTY-THREE of them in order alphabetically.
Memorized all the coordinators listed below, all seven of them in order.
Because you accomplished 1 and 2 above, you do not have to memorize the hundreds and hundreds of conjunctive adverbs. Since you know the subordinators and coordinators, you can identify "nothing words" or conjunctive adverbs, which require a semicolon to connect two sentences.

You are required to memorize the subordinators below. Knowing these connectors will help you to properly use the comma in your writing assignments. You will be expected to write a list of them during the second week of class from memory.

The subordinators listed below create complex sentence that contain at least one dependent clause and no more than one independent clause:

The Subordinators

Connects two sentences: John ran away when he did. "When," a subordinator, creates a complex sentence; a complex sentence uses a subordinator as the connector.
Create fragments when second subject and very are not present: Although the world is round. The clause, "Although the world," is a fragment. To correct this fragment just remove the fragment maker "although:" The world is round. Hence, all of the words are possible fragment makers unless the clause it is with is attached to a sentence. For example: Although the world is round, people always walk on a flat surface. The fragment, "Although the world is young (subordinate clause)," is attached to the sentence, "People always walk on a flat surface."
When the subordinator begins the sentence, a comma is required after the subordinate clause: Unless it is too late, we can go to the show.
When the subordinator is in the middle of the two sentences, a comma is never required: Parents want to help their kids although they are too busy to do it often.
Subordinators do not make each sentence equal in importance. The sentence with the subordinator in front of it is subordinated to the other sentence. In the sentence in item #4 above, "They are too busy to do it often," is subordinated to the sentence, "Parents want to help their kids."

Subordinating Connectors Alphabetically

after	once	when
although	or effect	when
as	provided	whenever
as	rather than	whenever
as if	since	where
as if	since	whereas
as long as	since	wherever
as though	so that	whether
because	so that	whether
before	than	which
even if	that	while
even if	that	while
even though	though	who
if	till	whoever
if only	unless	whom
in order that	until	whomever
in order that	what	whose
now that	whatever

Subordinating Connectors by Usage

Cause	Condition	Comparison	Space or time
or effect	even if	or contrast	after
as	if	as	as long as
because	if only	as if	before
in order that	provided	as though	now that
since	since	rather than	once
so that	whereas	than	since
unless	when	whenever	till
		whether	until
Concession		whether	when
although		while	whenever
as if			where
even if		Purpose	wherever
even though		in order that	while
though		so that
		that

Source: Fowler HR, Aaron JE. The Little, Brown Handbook., Addison, Wesley, Longman, New York.

In the sentence below “although” is the connector for the two sentences

The class finished their assignment although they did not have sufficient time to do it.

Relative Pronouns used as (more) Subordinators

which	what	whoever	who
that	whatever	whomever	whose
			whom

Relative pronouns are also subordinators that act as subjects or objects in their own clause.

Arriving on time is what everyone wants to do. What is the subordinator and everyone wants is its subject and verb. On the other hand: "Who" is both the subect
Larry want to be on them who is a friend of mine. Who is the subordinator and who is the subject (relative pronoun) of the subordinate clause, who is a friend of mine. T

The final WORD: Subordinators

Complex Sentence: Connects two sentences creating a complex sentence: I went although you didn't. A complex sentence contains two sentences with a connector, a subordinator.
Create fragments when second subject & verb not present . . . although you went = fragment.
When the subordinator begins the sentence, a comma is required after the subordinate clause. Although you went, (comma required) I didn't.
When the subordinator is in the middle of the two sentences, no comma is required. I didn't although you went.

RP or Relative Pronoun, can be used as the subject of the subordinate clause. Jim is my friend who travels with us.—who acts as the subordinator and the subject of the subordinate clause—who travels with us.

In the sentence below “although” is the connector that connects the two sentences on each side of the subordinator "although."

The class finished their assignment although they did not have enough time to do it.

Relative pronouns are also subordinators that act as subjects or objects in their own clause.

Arriving on time is what everyone wants to do, especially Larry who is always on time.
What is the subordinator and everyone wants is its subject and verb
Who is the subordinator and who is the subject (relative pronoun) and is its verb.

A subordinating conjunction is a word that connects two groups of words that are not used in the same way—that is, they are not the same part of speech and they are not grammatically alike. Some commonly used subordinating conjunctions are after, because, before, how, if, since, than, though, until, when, where, and while.

NO COMMA IN A COMPLEX SENTENCE:

No comma is need when the subordinator comes in the middle of the complex sentence.

Bobby played in the park until it got dark.

The movie was funnier than I had expected.

COMMA REQUIRED AFTER THE SUBORDINATE CLAUSE (includes a subordinator with a subject and verb):

Sometimes a subordinating conjunction comes at the beginning of a sentence, and the comma is required after the subordinate clause which is underlined.

Since you are here, let's rehearse.

After Margaret had lunch, she took a nap.

Sets off a subordinate clause or a long phrase that precedes a principal clause in a complex sentence (The subordinator begins the sentence):

By the time that we found the restaurant, we were starved.
Although I looked for the dog, it was no where to be found.

Simplify put coordinators connect words or groups of words.

Separates the parts of a compound sentence connected by a coordinator plus comma:

A difference exists between the musical works of Handel and Haydn, and it is a difference worth noting.
I heard what you said, and I am furious.
I got out of the car, and I walked and walked.

Coordinator Connecting Two or More Items (
or Coordinating Conjunctions)

A coordinator also connects two-or-more-words or two-or-more-groups of words that are used in the same way—that is, they are the same part of speech or they are grammatically alike. The coordinators are and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet that can connect words or groups of words that all are all similar in usage.

We are going to play cards or dominos.

We're going to be Superman and Batman this Halloween.

Series--Separates and or or from the final item in a series of three or more (optional):

Red, yellow(,) and blue may be mixed to produce all colors.
(,) = comma is optional

Series--Separates two or more adjectives modifying the same noun if and could be used between them without altering the meaning.

He moved the the solid, heavy desk.
They walked down the long, dark road.

Final Word on Commas

Use a comma to separate a series in a series (three or more things), including the last two. "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base." You may have learned that the comma before the "and" is unnecessary, which is fine if you're in control of things. However, there are situations when, if you don't use this comma (especially when the list is complex or lengthy), these last two items in the list will try to glom together (like macaroni and cheese). Using a comma between all the items in a series, including the last two, avoids this problem. This last comma—the one between the word "and" and the preceding word—is often called the serial comma or the Oxford comma. In newspaper writing, incidentally, you will seldom find a serial comma, but that is not necessarily a sign that it should be omitted in academic prose.

Use a comma + a little coordinator (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect two sentences, as in "He hit the ball well, but he ran toward third base." Contending that the coordinator is adequate separation, some writers will leave out the comma in a sentence with short, balanced independent clauses (such as we see in the example just given). However, in this course it will be required that you use a "comma + coordinator" to connect two sentences; hence, use the comma + coordinator when connecting two sentences.

One of the most frequent errors in comma usage is the placement of a comma after a coordinator. Do not use a comma after a coordinator; there is rarely a good reason to put a comma after a coordinator.

Use a comma to set off introductory elements, as in "Running toward third base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked." If there is ever any doubt, use the comma, as it is always correct. HERE.

After Margaret had lunch, she took a nap.

Simplify put coordinators connect words or groups of words.

Coordinator Connecting Two or More Items ( or Coordinating Conjunctions)

Conjunctive Adverbs or Transition Words

Coordinator Connecting Two or More Items (
or Coordinating Conjunctions)