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subordinate clause

Structure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A clause that depends on a main clause to form a complete sentence

Detailed Definition
A subordinate clause is a dependent grammatical unit that cannot stand alone as a sentence, introduced by a subordinating conjunction (e.g., “because,” “although”) or relative pronoun (e.g., “which,” “that”), and used in poetry to embed complexity, qualification, or temporal nuance within a main clause; its strategic placement can delay resolution, create suspense, or layer meaning, as in Milton’s intricate periodic sentences that mirror theological intricacy.
Example
Example in poetry:
A subordinate clause depends on a main clause for meaning: “When the rain stopped, we walked” (“When the rain stopped” is subordinate); “Because she laughed, the room brightened”; “Although the night was cold, he stayed”; “If you listen closely, you’ll hear the stars” (“If you listen closely” is subordinate).
Additional Notes
subordinate clause|A clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and depends on a main (independent) clause (e.g., because I read the poem); poets use these to modulate rhythm and complexity in sentences.
Also Known As
Dependent clause Embedded clause Subclause Adverbial clause subordinating phrase
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