Year 3 English: Main clauses and subordinate clauses
Part of the Year 3 English clauses and sentences chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Main clauses and subordinate clauses
A sentence can have a main clause and a subordinate clause. The main clause makes sense on its own, so it could be a sentence by itself: We stayed inside.
The subordinate clause adds extra information, such as why or when something happened. It depends on the main clause. Because it rained does not make complete sense on its own.
A conjunction joins the subordinate clause to the main clause: We stayed inside because it rained.
The subordinate clause can also come first: Because it rained, we stayed inside. The meaning is the same. When it comes first, put a comma after it. You will practise commas in Chapter 5.
Key ideas
- A main clause makes sense on its own, so it could be a sentence.
- A subordinate clause adds information, but it needs a main clause.
- The conjunction starts the subordinate clause and joins it to the main clause.
- The subordinate clause can come first or last. The meaning stays the same.
Method. Find the words that make the subordinate clause.
- Find the verbs. Each clause has one verb. A fronted adverbial has none.was, arrived
- Find the words in the subordinate clause. A subordinate clause starts with a conjunction such as when or because. It needs a main clause and does not make sense alone.Ali was happy when Sam arrived.
- Write the answer. when Sam arrived
Check. Read the subordinate clause aloud: it has only the words above. ✓
Watch out. The subordinate clause starts with its conjunction, such as when, because or although.
Method. Look for the verb, then test whether the group can stand alone.
- Find the verb in the group of words. A clause has a verb.went
- Test: can it stand alone as a sentence? A main clause makes sense on its own, so it could be a sentence on its own.Mia was tired, so she went to bed.
- Write the answer. main clause
Check. The group of words is a main clause. ✓
Watch out. A main clause can stand alone, with a capital letter at the start and a full stop at the end.
Method. Find the words that make the main clause.
- Find the verbs. Each clause has one verb. A fronted adverbial has none.smiled, came
- Find the words in the main clause. A main clause makes sense on its own, so it could be a sentence on its own.Ella smiled because her friend came.
- Write the answer. Ella smiled
Check. Read the main clause aloud: it has only the words above. ✓
Watch out. A main clause can stand alone, with a capital letter at the start and a full stop at the end.
Watch out
Watch out: because it rained has a verb, but it cannot be a sentence on its own. It needs a main clause to complete the meaning. A group of words with a verb can still be a subordinate clause, not a sentence.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child: can this part stand alone as a sentence? If not, it is a subordinate clause. Then ask which conjunction joins it to the main part.
Exercise 4B Practice: main and subordinate clauses
Method. Find the words that make the main clause.
- Find the verbs. Each clause has one verb. A fronted adverbial has none.stayed, rained
- Find the words in the main clause. A main clause makes sense on its own, so it could be a sentence on its own.We stayed inside because it rained.
- Write the answer. We stayed inside
Check. Read the main clause aloud: it has only the words above. ✓
Watch out. A main clause can stand alone, with a capital letter at the start and a full stop at the end.
Method. Find the words that make the subordinate clause.
- Find the verbs. Each clause has one verb. A fronted adverbial has none.stayed, rained
- Find the words in the subordinate clause. A subordinate clause starts with a conjunction such as when or because. It needs a main clause and does not make sense alone.We stayed inside because it rained.
- Write the answer. because it rained
Check. Read the subordinate clause aloud: it has only the words above. ✓
Watch out. The subordinate clause starts with its conjunction, such as when, because or although.
Method. Find the conjunction that joins the clauses.
- Find the verbs, one for each clause. Each clause has its own verb.was, arrived
- Find the joining word. It starts the subordinate clause and joins it to the main clause.Ali was happy when Sam arrived.
- Write the answer. when
Check. when sits between the two parts. ✓
Watch out. The clause that starts with this word cannot stand alone.
Method. Find the conjunction that joins the clauses.
- Find the verbs, one for each clause. Each clause has its own verb.was, went
- Find the joining word. It sits between two main clauses, and each part makes sense on its own.Mia was tired, so she went to bed.
- Write the answer. so
Check. so sits between the two parts. ✓
Watch out. Each side of this word could be a sentence on its own.
Method. Look for the verb, then test whether the group can stand alone.
- Find the verb in the group of words. A clause has a verb.was
- Test: can it stand alone as a sentence? A main clause makes sense on its own, so it could be a sentence on its own.The bus was late because the driver was ill.
- Write the answer. main clause
Check. The group of words is a main clause. ✓
Watch out. A main clause can stand alone, with a capital letter at the start and a full stop at the end.
Method. Look for the verb, then test whether the group can stand alone.
- Find the verb in the group of words. A clause has a verb.reads
- Test: can it stand alone as a sentence? A subordinate clause starts with a conjunction such as when or because. It needs a main clause and does not make sense alone.Tom gets a sticker if he reads a book.
- Write the answer. subordinate clause
Check. The group of words is a subordinate clause. ✓
Watch out. The subordinate clause starts with its conjunction, such as when, because or although.
Method. Find the words that make the subordinate clause.
- Find the verbs. Each clause has one verb. A fronted adverbial has none.rained, stayed
- Find the words in the subordinate clause. A subordinate clause starts with a conjunction such as when or because. It needs a main clause and does not make sense alone.Because it rained, we stayed inside.
- Write the answer. Because it rained
Check. Read the subordinate clause aloud: it has only the words above. ✓
Watch out. The subordinate clause starts with its conjunction, such as when, because or although.
Method. Find the words that make the subordinate clause.
- Find the verbs. Each clause has one verb. A fronted adverbial has none.went, was
- Find the words in the subordinate clause. A subordinate clause starts with a conjunction such as when or because. It needs a main clause and does not make sense alone.We went to the park although it was cold.
- Write the answer. although it was cold
Check. Read the subordinate clause aloud: it has only the words above. ✓
Watch out. The subordinate clause starts with its conjunction, such as when, because or although.
Method. Find the conjunction that joins the clauses.
- Find the verbs, one for each clause. Each clause has its own verb.smiled, came
- Find the joining word. It starts the subordinate clause and joins it to the main clause.Ella smiled because her friend came.
- Write the answer. because
Check. because sits between the two parts. ✓
Watch out. The clause that starts with this word cannot stand alone.
Method. A sentence needs a main clause that makes sense on its own.
- Look at the words. Because it was cold has the verb was.was
- Test it alone. Because it was cold does not make complete sense without a main clause.Because it was cold: subordinate
- Write the answer. No. It has a verb, but it does not make sense on its own. It needs a main clause, so it is a subordinate clause.
Check. A subordinate clause depends on a main clause. ✓
Watch out. A verb alone does not make a clause a main clause.
Method. Write the main clause first, then add because and the reason.
- Main clause. We walked home makes sense on its own.We walked home
- Subordinate clause. Because it was late gives the reason, and it depends on the main clause.because it was late
- Write the answer. Any correct sentence, for example: We walked home because it was late.
Check. Because joins the reason to the main clause. ✓
Watch out. The subordinate clause must come after or before the main clause, with because.