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What are conjunctions?

Conjunctions are joining words that link two parts of a sentence together.

Some examples include:

• because
• and
• or
• but

Using 'because' in writing

What is a clause?

A clause is a group of words that go together that make up parts of sentences.

A clause must have a subject and a verb.

A conjunction can be used to join clauses together in a sentence.

For example:

Lewis smiled

The park was fun

You can add the conjunction ‘because’ in between these clauses so the sentence reads:

Lewis smiled because the park was fun!

What are subordinate conjunctions?

When you add conjunctions to a sentence, they create a subordinate clause.

A subordinate clause is a group of words that add more information to the clause you've already got.

You can spot a subordinate clause because it is often linked to the main clause by one of these conjunctions:

• as
• after
• although
• before
• because

• if
• which
• when
• that
• until

For example:

Sammy had fun as he played with the ball.

'Sammy had fun' is the main clause and the subordinate clause is 'as he played with a ball'.

Watch: Subordinate conjunctions

Activity 1

The word 'because' is a very important conjunction.

It is a subordinate conjunction and it is used to explain why something has happened.

For example:

Jayati wore a scarf because it was cold outside.

By using the conjunction 'because', we know the reason for Jayati’s actions.

Copy out these sentences and finish them by completing what comes after 'because'.

1. Amir laughed loudly because …

2. Charlotte put on her shiny shoes because …

3. Jackson rubbed his eyes because …

4. The lion lay down low in the tall grass because …

5. The footballer fell to the floor because …

Activity 2

Choose five different animals.

Write a sentence for each animal that uses the word 'because' to explain their actions.

For example:

The dog was very cute because it has big, blue eyes.