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# subordinate

«subordinate» in Mova's school dictionary: **a part of a sentence that has a verb but cannot stand…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (subordinate); noun (a subordinate, subordinates); verb (subordinate, subordinated) — formal

### meaning for a pupil

1) In grammar, a subordinate clause is a part of a sentence that has a verb but cannot stand alone, like «because it was raining». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/#m1)

2) A subordinate is a person who has a lower rank and takes orders from someone else at work. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/#m2)

3) (formal) Subordinate means less important than something else. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In UK grammar lessons, pupils learn subordinating conjunctions (because, although, when, if) that start subordinate clauses: «Although it was cold, we went out.» At work or in the army, a boss gives orders to subordinates.

### examples

- «When the bell rang» is a subordinate clause. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/#x1)
- Add a subordinate clause starting with «because». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/#x2)
- The captain gave orders to his subordinates. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/#x3)
- A subordinate clause needs a main clause. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/#x4)
- Fun is subordinate to safety on the trip. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/#x5)
- Use a comma after a subordinate clause at the start of a sentence. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/#x6)

### note

Opposite of main/superior. Stress: «suh-BOR-din-it» (adjective, noun). The subordinate clause can come first or after the main clause.

### In the corpora

- [The comma rule: when the subordinate clause comes first, put a comma after it.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/28-clauses-main-subordinate-and-joining-words/8/)
- [He's right: «while I was gaming» is a subordinate clause and «Mum called» is the main clause.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/28-clauses-main-subordinate-and-joining-words/10/)
- [A subordinate clause contains a verb but does not make sense on its own; it depends on a main clause.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/28-clauses-main-subordinate-and-joining-words/16/)
- [When a subordinate clause comes before the main clause, a comma follows it.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/28-clauses-main-subordinate-and-joining-words/19/)
- [A subordinate clause written alone, like «Because it was raining.», is an incomplete sentence.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/28-clauses-main-subordinate-and-joining-words/22/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «subordinate» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subordinate/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.