SUBORDINATORS AND COORDINATORS

(90 minutes)
EXPLANATION (30 minutes)
Definition
Joining words show a relationship in meaning between ideas. There are three grammatical
families of joining words; each has its own punctuation guidelines.
Fmi!ies Po"u!# $o#%s Pun&tution E'm"!e
Coordinators for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
(complete list you can
remember these with the
acronym F!"#$%&
nything ' ate, fo# ' was hungry.
(e seemed strange. (et ' li)ed
him.
$ou shouldn*t )ut you will.
Fran) fainted; so ' dro+e the
car.
%ubordinators because, since, although,
whereas, while, unless, until, if,
when, after etc. (not a complete
list&
at most a ,
(!#T ; or .&
Be&use he was dirty, '
washed him.
"ob ran unti! he couldn*t
breathe.
Transitional
,-pressions
therefore, instead, thus, on the
other hand, indeed, howe+er, as
a result etc. (not a complete list&
at least a ;
or . (!#T
a ,&
$ou*re tall; t*e#efo#e+ you rule.
The boo) is weird. In f&t+ it*s
bad.
,*- )ot*e#.
Use joining words to make papers less wordy. .on*t use two sentences when one
will do/
E'm"!es/
This is a good no+el. The reason why ' say it is a good no+el is because it is funny and
well0written.
Revise: This is a good no+el )e&use it is funny and well0written.
The no+el addresses things that concern all of us. %o as a result of this, we should all
read it.
Revise: The no+el addresses things that concern all of us; t*e#efo#e+ we should all
read it.
Use joining words to clarify ideas. Joining words can create subtle differences of
meaning. This is especially important with su)o#%intion0
T*e %iffe#en&e )et$een su)o#%into#s n% &oo#%into#s 1 t#nsition $o#%s
Coordinators and transition words don*t emphasi1e one idea o+er another.
' li)e cheese, but ' can*t eat it.
Fido ran off, so ' decided to loo) around for another dog.
2arriage is a thorny issue; howe+er, that*s no reason to lose one*s temper about it.
%ubordinators emphasi1e one idea o+er the other or, to put it another way, they
subordinate one idea to another. The lesser idea is subordinated3
Because you are sick, we will get a doctor. (The cause is subordinated to the effect.&
If you like cheese, '*ll buy some. (The condition is subordinated to the outcome.&
When Frank gets home, '*ll tal) to him. (The time is subordinated to the acti+ity.&
Cont#st n% Con&ession
"ecause subordinators ele+ate one idea o+er another, you can use these to present
contrasts, and to show focus on one idea or another without a lot of fuss.
A!t*ou2* your wor) has impro+ed a good deal, 4
5re you bracing for good or bad news6 "ad news/7
4 your papers still aren*t passing.
A!t*ou2* you ha+en*t really made much effort, 4.
5(ere, you*re bracing for good news, aren*t you67
4 you*+e done easily enough to get a passing grade.
A!t*ou2* ' can*t afford the tic)ets, ' really want to go to the 8orld %eries this year.
A!t*ou2* ' really want to go to the 8orld %eries this year, ' can*t afford the tic)ets.
(8hich spea)er is more li)ely to go to the %eries6&
,*i!e children are always +alued, they are not always protected.
(This paragraph will focus not on the way children are +alued, but their lac) of
protection.&
,*i!e children are often unprotected, they are always +alued.
(This paragraph supports the opposite +iew.&
'n all of these cases, the writer puts two contrasting ideas together, but clearly emphasi1es
one of them. This is e-tremely useful for organi1ing comparison9contrast papers. The
following sentences introduce paragraphs by putting them in a comparati+e conte-t3
,*e#es t*e tu#3e- is &omi& &#etu#e+ the eagle is a majestic and solemn bird.
,*i!e e%u&tion in t*e U0S0 ten%s to em"*si4e in%i5i%u!it-+ other educational
systems focus on the transmission of culture.
:ood comparison9contrast words3 although, whereas, while, though.
,;ually, subordinators are useful to ma)e &on&essions0 This permits the writer to
ac)nowledge the truth of an opposing point, while stressing the importance of its opposite.
This is +ery useful for arguments, where you need to refer to different points of +iew without
confusing the reader as to what you yourself belie+e.
A!t*ou2* 2uns %o *e!" to "#e5ent &#imes+ they can also help to ma)e crimes more
fatal.
E5en t*ou2* mn- "eo"!e %o &!im to )enefit f#om *o!isti& me%i&ine+ there is no
e+idence that homeopathic or other remedies are any use whatsoe+er.
:ood concession words3 although, though, e+en though.
Usin2 su)o#%into#s (es"e&i!!- &on&essi5es) to &!#if- i%es
Joining sentences with a well0chosen word helps you e-plain yourself more clearly.
'n a world where e+eryone carried a handgun, homicides would probably increase. 't
is true that unarmed people are at the mercy of criminals. "ut we all want a lower
crime rate.
(8hat is this spea)er*s main position3 for or against carrying handguns6&
<,='%'#!3 lthough it is true that unarmed people are at the mercy of
criminals, in a world where e+eryone carried a handgun, homicides would
probably increase. 8e all want a lower crime rate.
>narmed people are at the mercy of criminals. 't is true that in a world where e+eryone
carried a handgun, homicides would probably increase. "ut people need to defend
themsel+es.
(8hat is this spea)er*s main position, do you thin)6&
<,='%'#!3 lthough homicides would probably increase in a world where
e+eryone carried a handgun, unarmed people are at the mercy of criminals.
?eople need to defend themsel+es.
NOTES (60 minutes)
Ta)e notes on the following.
@. 8rite down the gist of the module, including some e-amples, for your notes.
EXERCISE (70 minutes)
E'e#&ise 80 Combine the following sentences, using the joining word that best shapes the
meaning and cleans the structure. 2a)e sure to use a good +ariety of words from each
group, correctly punctuated.
@. ?eople who li)e cats are calm, wise and spiritual.
.og lo+ers are delusional.
A. ' don*t want to hurt %am*s feelings.
' want to tell him that his tattoo loo)s more li)e a ballpar) fran) than a dragon.
(e*d be furious if ' said that.
B. !ineteenth century mericans were a lot tougher than we are today.
The reason why ' say this is because they had to endure a lot more pain.
C. This ca)e loo)s fantastic.
'*m supposed to a+oid too much chocolate.
5!#T,3 the spea)er is digging into the ca)e.7
D. '*m supposed to a+oid too much chocolate.
This ca)e loo)s fantastic.
5!#T,3 the spea)er is sha)ing his head with a saintly e-pression.7
E. This ca)e loo)s fantastic.
'*m supposed to a+oid too much chocolate.
5!#T,3 the spea)er is in an agony of indecision.7
F. 2edie+al parents often didn*t treat their children as indi+iduals.
2odern parents see each of their children as distinct personalities.
G. '*m sitting outside in the rain getting soa)ing wet.
' want an umbrella.
H. Tom, unsure of where his friend had got to, shouted out Carl*s name.
Carl (always the show0off& answered with an imitation owl0hoot.
@I. %cratching her boil, Janine was horrified to see a thousand tiny spiders pour out.
%he ran screaming into the street, flapping frantically at her face.
E'e#&ise 60
'n each of the following clusters of sentences, identify which point the writer wants to stress,
and which the writer is conceding (i.e., de0emphasi1ing&. <e+ise the cluster with an
appropriate subordinator. This will mean rearranging the occasional sentence, but not ma)ing
much content change.
@. %uburbs ha+e their ad+antages. "ut ' would prefer to li+e in %an Francisco. ' li)e to be
able to eat out at different places 0 not just <ed Jobster. %uburbs tend to be safer; you
can ha+e more space and probably better weather. The city boasts a lot of distincti+e
neighborhoods, which gi+e it color and a sense of history. #+erall, %an Francisco
seems more appealing.
A. %ome feel that :uess6 jeans ad+ertisements are offensi+e. ' don*t find them so, but a
lot of people do.
B. Jiam !eeson*s performance in Schindlers List was brilliant. ' am not saying that
e+eryone li)es his style of acting. (owe+er, he con+eyed a )ind of sincere ambiguity
that was +ery con+incing.
C. 8riters shouldn*t be held responsible for any +iolent bac)lash their wor)s pro+o)e.
8riters do ha+e a duty not to forget that ideas are dangerous and perhaps
pro+ocati+e, but that doesn*t mean that they should face prosecution for the actions of
others.
D. 2any people drin) moderately their whole li+es and come to no harm. lcoholism is an
enormous problem, and those who suffer from it should recei+e e+ery assistance to
get their li+es bac) under control. Those people, the majority, who don*t re;uire such
assistance, should not be forbidden from indulging in a pleasant pastime. Therefore,
alcohol should not be restricted.