Subordinating Conjunctions

Although

After

As

While

When

Until

Because

Before

If

Since

is a mnemonic device to help you remember the subordinating conjunctions. A subordinating conjunction is used to connect a dependent clause to an independent clause.

Let’s look at some sentences from

stories in the literature book …

As he trudged to English, he practiced scowling.

~ Seventh Grade by Gary Soto

While some youngsters were into street negatives, Antonio and Felix slept, ate, rapped, and dreamt positive.

~ Amigo Brothers Short Story by Piri Thomas

• What did you notice about the structure of each sentence?

• What did the sentences have in common?

Comma after the beginning phrase

So…what’s an

When an AAAWWUBBIS is the first word of a sentence, you are going

to need a comma — usually.

Use a comma to set off an opener.

Opener , Complete sentence .

What if an

comes later in the sentence?

Look at this sentence from The War of the Wall…

• What is the AAAWWUBBIS? • What does the comma separate?

When we came from school, the wall was slick with white.

What if you rewrote the sentence?

Do you need a comma in the second sentence? Why or why not?

2. The wall was slick with white when we came from school.

1. When we came from school, the wall was slick with white.

Look at this sentence from Amigo Brothers…

• What is the AAAWWUBBIS?

Both fighters had a lot of psyching up to do before the big fight.

How could you rewrite the sentence so that the AAAWWUBBIS is at the

beginning?

• What did you have to add to the second sentence?

2. Before the big fight, both fighters had a lot of psyching up to do.

1. Both fighters had a lot of psyching up to do before the big fight.

Writing Practice

Read the following paragraph. Rewrite the paragraph by combining sentences and

using AAAWWUBBIS words.

Although

After

As

While

When

Until

Because

Before

If

Since

Maria stepped inside the haunted house. Maria heard screams and groans. Maria ran into the next room. Maria saw herself in the mirrors that lined the wall.

Although

After

As

While

When

Until

Because

Before

If

Since

When Maria stepped inside the haunted house, she heard screams and groans. As she ran into the next room, she saw herself in the mirrors that lined the wall.

Maria heard screams and groans as she stepped inside the haunted house. When she ran into the next room, she saw herself in the mirrors that lined the wall.

Sample answers: