More on Transitional Devices
By Hank Smith

OR

Subordinating Conjunction, What's Your Function?

A subordinating conjunction is a special kind of transitional device.  It can only be used to introduce a subordinate clause.  Like sentences, subordinate clauses have subjects and verbs, but they are not complete sentences and therefore cannot stand alone.

The following is a list of subordinating conjunctions:

after, although, as, as if, as long as, as soon as, because, before, even though, if, in order that, in spite of, provided that, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, where, whereas, whether, which, while

Punctuating the subordinate clause:

           If a subordinate clause introduces a sentence, then a comma is used.
           
           Because I am hungry, I will eat.

If a subordinate clause closes a sentence, then a comma is used only if the idea in the main clause is not dependent or conditional upon the idea in the subordinate clause.  This can usually be determined by reading the sentence aloud, listening for a change in the pitch of one's voice. 

I will eat because I am hungry.
I will eat, even though I am not hungry. 

Note:  Do not place the comma after the subordinating conjunction.

 

Adapted from: 
Belanoff, Oat, Betsy Rorschach, and Mia Oberlink.  The Right Handbook:  Grammar and  
            Usage in Context.  Second Edition.  Portsmouth: Boynton/Cook, 1993.
Hacker, Diane.  A Writer's Reference.  Boston, Bedford/St. Martin's, 2003.
Kolln, Martha.  Rhetorical Grammar:  Grammatical Choices, Rhetorical Effects.  Third   
            Edition.  New York:  Longman, 1999.