Focusing Sentences Through Subordinating Ideas Subordinating an idea means that you consider it less important than another idea. A sentence that contains a primary idea and subordinate idea(s) can act as a good thesis statement because it can suggest a focus for a paper and provide some of the reasoning behind your views. Subordinating ideas also helps you make smooth transitions between sentences and paragraphs. Suppose you want to combine these ideas:
You can combine the statements to emphasize the increasing number of fishermen (which becomes your primary idea):
You could also write the sentence to have your primary idea be the fact that fewer oysters are left:
In both examples, the primary idea could stand alone as a complete sentence, whereas the subordinate ideas begin with subordinating conjunctions "so" and "because". These words indicate that what follows receives less weight in the sentence. Some Subordinating Conjunctions: Contrast: although, even though, while Degree: inasmuch as, insofar as, to the extent that Cause: because, since, as Time: when, whenever, while, once, before, after, since, until, as long as, as soon as Condition: if, when, provided that, in case, assuming that, as long as Place: where, wherever Negative Condition: unless Alternative Condition: whether or not Back to 'Focusing/Connecting Ideas' |