Year 4 English: Clauses and connectives: when, before, after, while, because, although, if
Part of the Year 4 English fronted adverbials and connecting words chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Clauses and connectives: when, before, after, while, because, although, if
A clause is a group of words with a verb. A main clause makes sense on its own: we went to the market.
A subordinate clause has a verb too, but it depends on a main clause. It cannot stand alone: because it was cold.
A connective joins a subordinate clause to a main clause. The connective shows the meaning.
| Connective | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| when | at the time that | When the bell rang, we ran outside. |
| before | earlier than | Before we left, we made a list. |
| after | later than | After the film ended, we went home. |
| while | at the same time as | While Dad cooked, the children laid the table. |
| because | for the reason that | We stayed inside because it was raining. |
| although | even though; despite | Although it was cold, we swam in the sea. |
| if | on condition that | If it snows, we will build a snowman. |
Key ideas
- A main clause makes sense on its own.
- A subordinate clause starts with a connective and needs a main clause to make sense.
- Choose the connective by its meaning: when, before, after and while for time; because for a reason; although for a contrast; if for a condition.
- When a subordinate clause comes first, a comma follows it.
Method. Find the word that joins the two parts of the sentence.
- Find the two clauses. One clause makes sense on its own, and the other depends on it.After the film ended, we went home.
- Find the joining word. It is the connective that joins the two clauses.After
- Check its meaning. After shows that going home happened later than the end of the film.After
- Write the answer. After
Check. The connective is the word that shows the meaning. ✓
Watch out. Connectives are small words such as when, after, because and although.
Method. Find the word that joins the two parts of the sentence.
- Find the two clauses. One clause makes sense on its own, and the other depends on it.We stayed inside because it was raining.
- Find the joining word. It is the connective that joins the two clauses.because
- Check its meaning. Because gives the reason we stayed inside.because
- Write the answer. because
Check. The connective is the word that shows the meaning. ✓
Watch out. Connectives are small words such as when, after, because and although.
Method. Find the fronted adverbial, then put one comma straight after it.
- Find the fronted adverbial at the start. It is the words at the start of the sentence.Although it was cold
- Put the comma after it. The comma goes straight after the whole adverbial, not after its first word.Although it was cold,
- Check the rest of the sentence. The main clause keeps its own words after the comma.Although it was cold, we swam in the sea.
- Write the answer. Although it was cold, we swam in the sea.
Check. Read it aloud and pause after the comma. ✓
Watch out. The comma goes after the whole adverbial, never in the middle of it.
Watch out
Watch out: a subordinate clause cannot stand alone. Because it was raining. is not a sentence. Join it to a main clause: We stayed inside because it was raining.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child what the connective means. "Is it time, a reason, or a contrast?" Then choose the word that fits that meaning.
Exercise 6E Practice: connectives and clauses
Method. Find the words at the start that come before the comma.
- Look at the start of the sentence. A fronted adverbial comes first in the sentence.Before we left we made a list.
- Find the comma. The words before the comma are the fronted adverbial.Before we left,
- Copy the words before the comma. Copy only these words, not the main clause after the comma.Before we left
- Check its type. It answers the question about time, so it tells when.tells when
- Write the answer. Before we left
Check. Read the sentence aloud: the words before the comma are the adverbial. ✓
Watch out. Copy only the words before the comma, not the main clause after it.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.___ it rained, we went for a walk anyway.
- Think about the meaning. Went for a walk anyway shows a contrast: the walk happened in spite of the rain.Although it rained, we went for a walk anyway.
- Check the other choices. Because would give a reason for the walk, which does not fit anyway. Before does not show a contrast.Although it rained, we went for a walk anyway.
- Write the answer. although
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with although in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.Ben took an umbrella ___ the sky looked grey.
- Think about the meaning. The umbrella was taken for a reason: the grey sky.Ben took an umbrella because the sky looked grey.
- Check the other choices. Although would show a contrast, and after would mean the sky looked grey at a later time, which does not fit.Ben took an umbrella because the sky looked grey.
- Write the answer. because
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with because in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.Ruby brushed her teeth ___ she got into bed.
- Think about the meaning. The teeth were brushed first, then she got into bed. This is a time order.Ruby brushed her teeth before she got into bed.
- Check the other choices. After would mean she brushed her teeth after getting into bed, and because gives a reason, which does not fit.Ruby brushed her teeth before she got into bed.
- Write the answer. before
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with before in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.___ Dad cooked the tea, the children laid the table.
- Think about the meaning. Two things happened at the same time: Dad cooked and the children laid the table.While Dad cooked the tea, the children laid the table.
- Check the other choices. Because gives a reason, and although gives a contrast. Neither fits two things happening together.While Dad cooked the tea, the children laid the table.
- Write the answer. While
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with While in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Find the word that joins the two parts of the sentence.
- Find the two clauses. One clause makes sense on its own, and the other depends on it.When the kettle boiled, Mum made tea.
- Find the joining word. It is the connective that joins the two clauses.When
- Check its meaning. When shows the time the tea was made.When
- Write the answer. When
Check. The connective is the word that shows the meaning. ✓
Watch out. Connectives are small words such as when, after, because and although.
Method. Find the word that joins the two parts of the sentence.
- Find the two clauses. One clause makes sense on its own, and the other depends on it.We wore coats, because it was cold.
- Find the joining word. It is the connective that joins the two clauses.because
- Check its meaning. Because gives the reason for the coats.because
- Write the answer. because
Check. The connective is the word that shows the meaning. ✓
Watch out. Connectives are small words such as when, after, because and although.
Method. Find the word that joins the two parts of the sentence.
- Find the two clauses. One clause makes sense on its own, and the other depends on it.After the match, the team had a drink.
- Find the joining word. It is the connective that joins the two clauses.After
- Check its meaning. After shows the drink came later than the match.After
- Write the answer. After
Check. The connective is the word that shows the meaning. ✓
Watch out. Connectives are small words such as when, after, because and although.
Method. Match each connective to its meaning.
- Look at because. Because gives a reason, not a contrast.because: reason
- Look at after. After shows time, not a contrast.after: time
- Look at although. Although shows a contrast: something happened despite something else.although: contrast
- Write the answer. although
Check. Although is the contrast word. ✓
Watch out. Think about what the connective is doing.
Method. Use while to show two things happening together.
- Write the subordinate clause. While shows the two things happen at the same time.While Dad cooked
- Add the main clause. The main clause tells what else happened, after a comma.While Dad cooked, we set the table.
- Write the answer. While Dad cooked, we set the table.
Check. Both things happen at the same time. ✓
Watch out. Make sure the two actions happen together.
Method. Use although to show a contrast.
- Write the subordinate clause. Although shows a contrast with the main clause.Although the grass was wet
- Add the comma and the main clause. The comma comes after the whole clause.Although the grass was wet, Priya sat down to read.
- Write the answer. Although the grass was wet, Priya sat down to read.
Check. The contrast is clear. ✓
Watch out. The comma follows the whole subordinate clause, not the word although.
Method. Compare the sentence with the punctuation it should have.
- Read the sentence. Check the commas, the full stops and the capital letters.Although it was cold we swam in the sea.
- Find the mistake. The subordinate clause starts the sentence, so a comma comes after the whole clause.add a comma after cold
- Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The pause now matches the punctuation.Although it was cold, we swam in the sea.
- Write the answer. No. Although it was cold, we swam in the sea.
Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓
Watch out. Read the sentence aloud, and pause where the comma goes.
Method. Look at what the clause needs.
- Find the verb. It has a verb, was raining.was raining
- Check the sense. Because gives a reason, so the reader needs to know what happened for that reason.needs a main clause
- Write the answer. it is a subordinate clause; it has a verb but needs a main clause
Check. It needs a main clause to make sense. ✓
Watch out. Join it to a main clause to make a sentence.
Method. Find the fronted clause and the main clause.
- Find the fronted clause. If it snows is a subordinate clause at the start.If it snows
- Add the comma. A comma goes after the whole fronted clause, before we.If it snows, we will build a snowman.
- Write the answer. No. A comma is needed after the fronted clause: If it snows, we will build a snowman.
Check. Read it aloud: a pause after snows. ✓
Watch out. Any fronted subordinate clause is followed by a comma.