The Subordination Compound Period is one whose clauses syntactically depend on each other to make sense. It is the opposite of what happens with the period composed by coordination, in which the clauses are syntactically independent.
Compare:
- It wasn't until we broke up that I realized that I liked him so much. (Period Composed by Subordination)
- Compose/ sing your songs. (Period Composed by Coordination)
The period composed of subordination is formed by the prayermain and for prayersubordinate. THE subordinate clause it has a syntactic function in relation to the main clause and, precisely for this reason, it is called subordinate.
Examples:
I want/he comes back!
- “I want” is the main prayer.
- "may he come back!" it is the subordinate clause.
I can't tell/ where he went.
- “I can't tell” is the main prayer.
- “where he went” is the subordinate clause.
Therefore, in both examples, periods are compounded by subordination.
Period Composed by Coordination and Subordination
There are periods when coordinated prayer and subordinate prayer are present. Example:
As long as she speaks, I will be silent and pay attention to his words.
- “As long as she speaks,” is the subordinate clause.
- “I will be silent” is the main prayer.
- "and I will heed your words." it is coordinated prayer.
Classification of Subordinated Prayers
There are three types of subordinate clauses, which are classified according to their function.
- Nouns: Subordinate substantive clauses have a noun function.
- Adjectives: Subordinate adjective clauses function as an adjective.
- Adverbials: Adverbial subordinate clauses act as an adverb.
Substantive Subordinate Prayers
At substantive subordinate clauses can be subjective, objectivesdirect, objectivesindirect, predicatives, completivenominal or positive. They are usually initiated by the what-if conjunctions.
Subjective Prayers
They function as the subject of the main clause. The verb of the main clause is always in the 3rd person singular. Example:
- Your presence é essential.
- É essential / that you come.
In the first sentence (simple period), “presence” is a noun. In the second clause (compound period), the noun “presence” was changed to “may you come”, which has the function of subject of the main clause.
In this way, we are faced with a subjective subordinate clause.
Direct Objective Prayers
They function as a direct object of the main clause. Example:
- No know my destiny.
- No know/ if I will.
In the first prayer (simple period), “my destiny” is a direct object. In the second clause (compound period), the direct object “my destiny” was changed to “if I'm going”, so that it now has the function of direct object of the main clause. Therefore, we are faced with a direct objective subordinate clause.
Indirect Objective Prayers
They function as an indirect object of the main clause. Example:
- I like of adventures.
- I like/ from me adventure.
In the first sentence (simple period), “of adventures” is an indirect object. In the second clause (compound period), the indirect object “from adventures” was changed to the verb “to adventure”, so that the prayer “to adventure myself” becomes an indirect object of the prayer main. Therefore, we are faced with an indirect objective subordinate clause.
Predicative Prayers
They function as a predicative of the subject of the main clause. Example:
- Be singer!
- My wish was/ that he sing
In the first sentence (single period), “singer” is predicative. In the second clause (compound period), the predicative “singer” was changed to “that he sang”, which started to have the function of predicative of the subject of the main clause. Therefore, we are faced with a predicative subordinate clause.
Nominal Complementary Prayers
They function as a nominal complement to the main clause. Example:
- Have fear of the dark.
- Have fear / that darken.
In the first sentence (simple period), “in the dark” is a nominal complement. In the second clause (compound period), the nominal complement “of dark” was changed to “that it darkens”, so that it now has the function of nominal complement of the main clause. Therefore, we are faced with a complete nominal prayer.
Positive Prayers
They function as an affixed to the main prayer. Example:
- My wish: my children's happiness.
- Desire/ that my children be happy.
In the first prayer (simple period), “the happiness of my children” is affixed. In the second sentence (compound period), the bet “the happiness of my children” was changed to “that my children be happy", so that it has the function of affixing the main prayer, that is, it is a prayer positive.
Adjective Subordinated Prayers
At adjective subordinate clauses they can be explanatory or restrictive. These clauses are initiated by the relative pronouns whose, where, which, how much, what, who and their variants.
Explanatory Prayers
Explain or clarify something about the main clause. Explanatory clauses always appear between commas. Example:
In Asia/, which is the largest continent in the world,/ there are 11 time zones.
- Main prayer: In Asia there are 11 time zones.
- Subordinate prayer: which is the largest continent in the world.
The subordinate clause adds information about Asia, therefore, it is explanatory.
Restrictive Prayers
They restrict or delimit the information given about the main clause. Example:
The student/ who was absent/ was left without a group.
- Main prayer: The student was left without a group.
- Subordinate clause: that was missing.
In this case, the subordinate clause not only added information about the student, but specified it. Therefore, we are faced with a restrictive adjectival subordinate clause. Unlike explanatory clauses, restrictive clauses are not punctuated between commas.
Adverbial Subordinated Prayers
This type of clause replaces an adverb, so that its syntactic function is equivalent to that of the adverbial adjunct.
Compare:
- We finish work early.
- We finished work/ when it was early.
In the first sentence (simple period), “early” is an adverb. In the second clause (compound period), this adverb was changed to “when it was early”, so that this clause has the function of an adverbial adjunct.
At adverbial subordinate clauses they can be causal, comparative, concessive, conditional, conformative, consecutive, final, temporal or proportional.
Each one of them expresses the circumstance indicated in its name:
- Prayerscausal (like, since, why, since, since): Since it rained, I didn't go out.
- PrayersComparatives (how, what, what): Acted like a teenager.
- Prayersconcessional (although, unless, though, even if, however much, however less, though): I won't leave here unless you talk to me.
- PrayersConditional (unless, if, as long as, as long as, except if): If you can, call me.
- Prayersconforming (as, as, as, as, as): I did the job as directed.
- Prayersconsecutive (so that, so that): So that if you go, I'll go too.
- PrayersEndings (so that, so that, that): I do this to make our lives easier.
- PrayersStorms (before, so what, until, every time, after that, while, as soon as, when): When I come in, she'll come out.
- PrayersProportional (while, in proportion, while, how much more, how less): As long as I do this, I won't talk to him.
Now that you know what the Compound Subordination Period is, learn all about it. Period Composed by Coordination.