Dave Murad
Grammar
Coordination and Subordination
When two (or more) ideas are juxtaposed in a sentence, we have decisions to make on how the ideas will relate: Do the two ideas coordinate, with each point having equal value or weight?
The front door opened, and my cat escaped.
Or should one idea be subordinated to the other for emphasis or significance?
Subordinate Clause Independent Clause
When the front door opened, my cat escaped.
With this version, “my cat escaped” takes prominence as the main, independent clause, and the other clause (“the front door opened”) now has a subordinating word ("when") making it depend on the main clause rather than being a stand-alone clause or idea.
Coordination
Merge the following sentences by choosing the best or most appropriate method for coordination or subordination.
Subordination
My mom travels on a business trip. My dad has to go shopping for groceries. My siblings and I have to go with him.
1
*When* my mom travels on a business trip *and* my dad has to go shopping for groceries, my brothers and sisters have to go with him.
Last time, we all packed into our small two-door car. My mom had taken the larger SUV.
2
Last time, we all packed into our small two-door car *because* my mom had taken the larger SUV.
In the store, I went straight for the candy aisle. My siblings stayed with my father.
3
In the store, I went straight for the candy aisle *while / and* my siblings stayed with my father.
I didn’t get to keep all the candy I brought back to the cart. I asked my dad several times to let me keep it all.
4
*Even though* I asked my dad several times, I didn’t get to keep all the candy I brought back to the cart. [notice, too, that while not necessary the clauses are now switched]
We were hungry for a snack after shopping. Dinner was a few hours away. We stopped to get ice cream on the way home.
5
We were hungry for a snack after shopping *and* dinner was a few hours away, *so* we stopped to get ice cream on the way home.
Coordination involves coordinating conjunctions, of which there are 7 primary, carrying the acronym FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So. Take for instance the following two sentences:
The blizzard arrived earlier than expected. Snowplows failed to catch up.
Coordination
The blizzard arrived earlier than expected, and snowplows failed to catch up.
With coordination, the sentiments—of 1. the blizzard arriving early and 2. the snowplows failing to catch up—are put next to each other equally, without one subordinated to the other. This happened, and that happened. Even where a cause-effect relationship occurs, notice that the two sentiments are communicated rather equally, one and then the next.
The blizzard arrived earlier than expected, so snowplows failed to catch up.
Coordination and Subordination Exercises
With Subordination, however, one sentence is given emphasis or prominence, with the other relying on it through a subordinating word.
Subordination
As the blizzard arrived earlier than expected, snowplows failed to catch up.
Snowplows failed to catch up because the blizzard arrived earlier than expected.
Note that the two subordinating sentences mean basically the same thing as the “so” coordinating sentence—they all speak to a cause-effect relationship. However, the subordinating sentences emphasize that connection by subordinating one part of the sentence to the next; one sentence is now the primary, independent clause or idea (in this case, “snowplows failed to catch up”).
Through choice of independent clause and the right subordinating word, subordinating sentences can project a different meaning or connection between two clauses or accentuate a connection.
Coordination
The director wanted to handle stunts through stunt-doubles, but the actors preferred doing the stunts themselves.
Subordination
Even though the director wanted to handle stunts through stunt-doubles, the actors preferred doing the stunts themselves. [could suggest more of a tension between these two groups and their preferences—also could suggest the actors got their way]
Even though the actors preferred doing the stunts themselves, the director wanted to handle stunts through stunt-doubles. [could suggest more of a tension between these two groups and their preferences—also could suggest the director got their way]
The actors preferred doing the stunts themselves once the director wanted to handle stunts through stunt-doubles. [suggests that the actors’ preference arose only when the director wanted to handle the stunts through doubles]