What is the difference between relative clauses and subordinate clauses?

Relative Clauses Questions Medium



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What is the difference between relative clauses and subordinate clauses?

Relative clauses and subordinate clauses are both types of dependent clauses, but they serve different functions in a sentence.

A relative clause is a type of dependent clause that provides additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. It is introduced by a relative pronoun (such as who, whom, whose, which, or that) or a relative adverb (such as when, where, or why). Relative clauses are used to add descriptive or identifying information to the noun or pronoun they modify. For example:

- The book that I borrowed from the library is very interesting.
- The woman who lives next door is a doctor.

In these examples, the relative clauses "that I borrowed from the library" and "who lives next door" provide additional information about the nouns "book" and "woman," respectively.

On the other hand, a subordinate clause is a type of dependent clause that functions as an adverb, adjective, or noun within a sentence. It is introduced by a subordinating conjunction (such as because, although, if, when, or since) and cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. Subordinate clauses provide additional information about the main clause and help to establish relationships between ideas. For example:

- I will go to the park if it stops raining.
- She is studying hard because she wants to pass the exam.

In these examples, the subordinate clauses "if it stops raining" and "because she wants to pass the exam" provide information about the conditions or reasons related to the main clauses "I will go to the park" and "She is studying hard."

In summary, the main difference between relative clauses and subordinate clauses lies in their function within a sentence. Relative clauses provide additional information about a noun or pronoun, while subordinate clauses function as adverbs, adjectives, or nouns to establish relationships between ideas in a sentence.