Sentence work on subordination
To DO:
1) Please think of some words that begin with the prefix “sub.”
Remember, this is like what you recently did with “co.” With “co” you found words like “cooperate,” “codependent,” “cosigner.” Each of these showed some sense of equality. That relates to the FANBOYS words because when you use a word like “and’ or “but” you are creating two grammatically equal thoughts, insofar as both thoughts are “independent” – of equal weight.
(You may have heard the word “co-ed.” Nowadays we may use that word as an adjective, a descriptive word in front of a noun like “co-ed bathroom” or “co-ed team.” It used to be common decades ago to describe schools but since most schools are now co-ed, we do not need the word in that context.)
You probably have no idea about this, but “co-ed” used to be a noun about 50 or more years ago.
2) Who or what was a co-ed?
Language changes as society changes.
3) Words that were commonly applied to groups of people in the past are now considered offensive or outdated. Can you think of any? (I am not talking about highly offensive words, like the “N” word.)
Words also change because of gender and changes in people’s thinking; hence, new words are invented like “Ms.” And “flight attendant.”
4) Can you think of any new words used nowadays because of greater equality between men and women?
5) Can you think of any new words used now that may not have existed when you were just born?
(Do not include slang words or brand names.) Many of those probably are related to technology, like “email.”
6) There is a word, an adjective, that is used often in the media that you may not know: “woke.” What does it mean? Do you consider yourself “woke”?
Getting back to “sub,” there are words called “subordinating conjunctions,” similar to “coordinating conjunctions.”
7) Please find and list at least ten (10) subordinating words.
To Read and SAVE:
This link is very useful and worth keeping (downloading and printing for easy access in a traditional paper notebook or binder):
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/independent_and_dependent_clauses/index.html
After you read this above link, try your hand at writing five “complex” sentences. They will each have two clauses (groups of words containing both a subject and a verb) but the clauses are not of equal weight because of the inclusion of such words as “although” and “when.”
Notice that you will have many more subordinating words than you had coordinating words.
Notice that you may use the subordinating word either in the middle or the beginning of the sentences:
Ex. We are taking this class online since there is concern about spreading the covid virus. (no comma needed)
or
Since there is concern about spreading the covid virus, we are taking this course online. (There is a comma in the middle. Note that you will NOT have a comma next to the joining word.)
Either version is correct. It is the writer’s choice. We tend to put in the front the thought we are emphasizing more.
Also note: there is nothing wrong with starting a sentence with “Because” but almost all of us were taught not to do so. With that in mind, you may choose not to use “Because” to start a sentence.
VERY IMPORTANT: you do not put commas after words like “since” or “until.” YOU NEVER, I REPEAT NEVER, PUT A COMMA AFTER “Although”!
Please remember to answer 1 through 8, especially 7 and 8.
8) Please write five (5) original complex sentences. This is slightly more challenging than the compound sentences you wrote though still easy.
HOMEWORK: I will send you some things to read for next week. Expect the homework to be sent by Friday morning…
