The focus of PSAT prep #5 will be on one aspect of recognizing sentences: how do you know a group of related words with a subject and a verb is still not a sentence? It is not a sentence when it begins with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. For now, the focus is on the former; later on the latter.

PSAT prep 5

Subordinating conjunctions:

after, although, as, as if, because, before, even though, if, how, in order that, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, where, whether, while, why

These words subordinate, or make dependent, the group of related words with a subject and verb that comes after it.  For example, “Until she completes reading for at least forty minutes a day for her reading log, Fatima cannot go to sleep.”  The clause “Until she completes reading for at least forty minutes a day for her reading log” cannot stand alone because the thought is incomplete.  The thought is complete when the sentence is complete by adding “Fatima cannot go to sleep.”

Now, restate the above lesson in your own words and compose at least five sentences using the subordinating conjunctions above to show that you understand the lesson.