* Incomplete thought: Subordinate clauses contain a subject and verb, but they don't express a complete thought. They rely on an independent clause to make sense.
* Dependent on another clause: Subordinate clauses are dependent on an independent clause for their meaning. They act as modifiers or provide additional information about the main idea expressed in the independent clause.
* Signal words: Subordinate clauses often start with conjunctions like "because," "although," "when," "since," "if," etc. These words signal that the clause is dependent on another.
Example:
* Subordinate clause: "Because it was raining." (Incomplete thought)
* Independent clause: "We stayed inside." (Complete thought)
* Complete sentence: "Because it was raining, we stayed inside."
In summary, subordinate clauses are like puzzle pieces that need to be connected to a main piece (the independent clause) to form a complete picture.