Mastering Sentence Coordination and Subordination in Spanish

Mastering Sentence Coordination and Subordination

Coordinating Conjunctions

These conjunctions link clauses of equal grammatical rank. They can be categorized as follows:

• Coupled: These conjunctions join elements with similar meanings. (e.g., and, or)
• Dilemmas: These conjunctions present alternatives. (e.g., either, or)
• Distributive: These conjunctions distribute elements across a sentence. They often involve correlative elements that play a syntactic role in their respective clauses. (e.g., some... others, here... there, both... and, now... now, as soon as... as)
• Adversative: These conjunctions express opposition or contrast.
  • Exclusive: The meanings are completely opposed. (e.g., "I studied, but I don't remember.")
  • Restrictive: The meanings are partially opposed. (e.g., "He is not only educated, but he is also kind and well-mannered.")
• Consecutive: These conjunctions indicate a consequence or result. (e.g., then, so, therefore) Adverbial phrases like "thus" can also be used, sometimes preceded by "and".

Subordinating Conjunctions

These conjunctions introduce dependent clauses, which cannot stand alone as complete sentences.

Substantive Subordinate Clauses

These clauses can be replaced by a noun or pronoun like "this" or "that". They are often introduced by conjunctions like "that" and "if", as well as interrogative pronouns and adverbs like "who", "when", "how", and "how much".

Types of Substantive Subordinate Clauses:

• Subject: These clauses function as the subject of the main verb. They are typically introduced by "that", except when using an infinitive.
• Direct Object (CD): These clauses function as the direct object of the main verb and can be replaced by the pronoun "it".
• Indirect Object (CI): These clauses function as the indirect object of the main verb. They are introduced by the preposition "a" and can be replaced by the pronoun "his/her".
• Prepositional Phrase Complement (CRV): These clauses are governed by a verb that requires a specific preposition. They can be replaced by the pronoun "that" preceded by the preposition. (e.g., "I doubt that they were cousins" -> "I doubt that.")
• Noun Complement (CN): These clauses modify a noun, either directly (in apposition) or through a preposition. (e.g., "I have the hope of solving it.")
• Adjective/Adverb Complement (CAdj/CAdv): These clauses modify an adjective or adverb and are always introduced by a preposition. (e.g., "I've yet to call me.", "We were close to achieving it.")

Adjective Subordinate Clauses

These clauses can be replaced by an adjective or a demonstrative determiner (this, that). They are introduced by relative pronouns (who, whom, which, where, whose), adverbs (where, when, how), and possessive determiners (whose).

Types of Adjective Subordinate Clauses:

• Specifying: These clauses provide essential information to identify the noun they modify.
• Explanatory: These clauses provide additional, non-essential information about the noun and are set off by commas.

Subordinate Clauses without Antecedent: These are substantivized relative clauses, often using "the" + relative pronoun. (e.g., "Marcos was not the one who called me.")

Adverbial Subordinate Clauses

These clauses function as adverbial complements in the main clause, expressing place, time, manner, cause, purpose, etc.

Types of Adverbial Subordinate Clauses:

• Time (Temporal): These clauses function as an adverbial complement of time.
• Place: These clauses function as an adverbial complement of place.
• Manner (Modal): These clauses function as an adverbial complement of manner.
• Conditional: (e.g., "If you believe in yourself, you will go far.")
• Concessive: (e.g., "Although I repeat it continually, I don't pay attention.")
• Final (Purpose): (e.g., "I went to see her to explain my motive.")
• Causal: (e.g., "I haven't arrived on time because there was a lot of traffic on the road.")
• Comparative: (e.g., "That job was as nice as I imagined.")
• Consecutive: (e.g., "He shouted so much that he lost his voice.")