Lesson video

Hello my name is Ms Johnson and I'm going to be teaching you English today.

In today's lesson, were going to explore subordinate clauses and how we use this to write complex sentences.

When you're ready lets get started.

We start today's lesson by looking at what a complex sentence is.

How is it made up and how do we write them? Then were going to unpick it even further and explore subordinate clauses.

So a subordinate clause is in a complex sentence.

And then we're going to have a go at writing our own complex sentences by the end of the lesson.

And then at the end, we will review everything that we've learned so far.

Now you might already know what a complex sentence is, you might already be writing them.

And that's fantastic.

But revising things and making sure we are checking things is really important.

So you should still complete this lesson.

In the lesson today, you're going to need an exercise book or paper, you're going to need a pencil or a pen, and you're going to need your brain.

You're going to be learning lots of new terminology today, and lots of new information so make sure that brain is ready.

Now is a good time as well if the room is noisy for instance, if there's a TV on or if your phone is near you, or if there's a window open, and it's really noisy outside.

So just pause the video and get rid of any distractions.

And then when you're ready, press play.

Fantastic.

Let's get started this morning then.

So we're going to first of all define what a complex sentence is.

So a complex sentence has a main clause and a subordinate clause.

A clause contains a verb.

So every sentence must have a verb in it.

And to be a clause it must have a verb.

So a complex sentence has a main clause and a subordinate clause.

The main clause is like the Batman, the main man, he can go out on missions alone.

So you can just have a main clause as a sentence and that's absolutely fine.

The subordinate clause is the helper, it adds extra information to the main clause.

The subordinate clause is like the Robin, he cannot go out on missions alone.

The main man always has to be with him.

And that's a really important thing to remember when we're looking at complex sentences.

That you cannot just have a subordinate clause on its own, you must always have the main clause with it.

Now I'm going to explain that in a little bit more detail by showing you some examples throughout this lesson.

A subordinate clause does not make sense by itself.

Say it after me, a subordinate clause does not make sense by itself.

So here I have got an example of a subordinate clause view.

When polar bears attack their prey.

Is that a sentence? Does it make sense? No, it's not a sentence.

It doesn't make sense on its own.

It is a clause however because it has got the verb attack in it.

But it needs the main clause to become a sentence to make sense.

So we're missing the main clause A subordinate clause needs a main clause to make sense.

For instance now I have got polar bears use their sharp claws when they attack their prey.

So as you can see here, I've underlined the subordinate clause, and I've added that mister main clause to it.

And now it makes sense.

And it's a really effective sentence.

I have got lots of detail now, because I know how polar bears attack their prey.

So this has worked really effectively.

And so I've got my subordinate clause and my main clause.

And my main clause is polar bears user their sharp claws, and then I have got when they attack their prey as my subordinate clause.

Oh, can you pause the video here and fill in the missing sentence.

A subordinate clause needs a mm to make sense.

Pause the video and have a go at filling in the missing gap.

Fantastic well done.

A subordinate clause needs a main clause to make sense.

So very sure you remembered that one.

Let's check another one.

A mm does not make sense by itself.

And I've given you a picture here to help you.

A mm does not make sense by itself.

Pause the video and see if you can fill in the missing boxes.

Well done.

A subordinate clause does not make sense by itself.

It always needs the main man to go out on missions.

A subordinating conjunction joins a main clause to a subordinate clause.

Okay, so a subordinating conjunction is the word it's the glue that sticks a main clause to a subordinate clause.

And there are lots of subordinating conjunctions.

I have given you three here today.

So remember these are not all of the subordinating conjunctions that you can have.

But these are three that I think you need to know today.

The first one is when.

Say it when.

The second one is as.

Say it as.

And the last one is because.

Say it because.

When and as often to give you two actions happening together at the same time.

And because links the sentence by explaining the first point.

So these are used to add extra information to the main clause.

So the subordinating conjunction when, as, because and other ones that we have not shown you today are the glue that stick the main clause to the subordinate clause.

When they go out on a mission together, it holds it together.

I have got a bit of a review for you now.

I'm going to read you some clauses and I want you to tell me whether there are a main clause or a subordinate clause.

So first one, polar bears attack their prey.

As the polar bear approaches its prey.

That's your second one.

As the polar bear approaches it's prey You're third one, because polar bears are skilled hunters.

Because polar bears are skilled hunters.

And the last one, they have sharp claws.

They have sharp claws Can you pause the video here, and can you tell me are these a main clause or a subordinate clause? And how do you know? So press play when you're ready to resume.

Fantastic.

Well done.

So the first one polar bears attack their prey is a main clause.

I know this because it makes complete sense by itself.

Attack is the verb, so I definitely know it's a clause.

And this could be a sentence on its own.

It completely makes sense.

The next clause, as the polar bear approaches its prey.

Hmm when I read that, it sounds like something is missing.

As a polar bear approaches its prey, what happens? I don't know.

It kind of feels like part of this is missing.

And it's correct.

This is actually a subordinate clause.

What is it? A subordinate clause.

Good.

And the reason being? Shout out why.

Yes, it doesn't make sense by itself.

It cannot be a sentence it needs that Mr. main clause to come along and help it.

The third one, because polar bears are skilled hunters.

Hmm, again, it sounds like I'm missing part of this.

Because polar bears are skilled hunters.

And it doesn't make sense on its own.

So this must also be a subordinate clause.

Why is it a subordinate clause? Shout out It doesn't make sense on its own.

And I need the main clause to make it make sense.

Fantastic.

Let's look at the final one together.

They have sharp claws.

They have sharp claws.

That works.

It makes sense.

It's a sentence and it makes sense.

So i think this is a main clause because it makes sense by itself.

It would be good to add a subordinate clause here though, in order to explain something, but it does work as a main clause.

So well done.

There we go.

So here are our answers, main clause, subordinate clause, subordinate clause, main clause.

Now we're going to explore subordinate clauses in a little bit more detail.

So a subordinate clause is in a complex sentence.

A complex sentence has a main clause and a subordinate clause.

And we are going to look at the subordinate clause.

'Cause I think, we're quite comfortable with main clauses.

We can move the position of the subordinate clause in a sentence.

Now, we would want to do this, to make our writing more interesting.

If we always start our writing with the same word or subordinating conjunction, it'd be really boring.

So what we can do, is we can cleverly put the main clause first, followed by the subordinate clause and then we can switch to the subordinate clauses first, followed by the main clause.

Here are an example.

So in this sentence is the main clause or the subordinate clause first? I'm going to read it to you.

Polar bears use their sharp claws when attacking their prey.

First of all, it is a sentence, it makes sense.

It's a complex sentence.

It's got subordinate, and a main clause in it.

Polar bears use their sharp claws when attacking their prey.

I'd like you to pause the video here, and try and work out if the main or the subordinate clause is first.

Well done.

You might have seen my picture here to help you.

So it's actually the main clause first.

I know polar bears use their sharp claw, that is my main clause.

And I've added when attacking their prey, as the subordinate clause.

Okay.

So the subordinate clause is second.

When I'm doing that, the when is the subordinating conjunction.

Which word is the subordinating conjunction? When.

And that acts as the glue.

Its sticking the subordinate clause to the main clause.

When it's in the middle of a sentence, I don't need any punctuation for it.

Now we're going to change the position of the subordinate clause.

So I've picked it up, and I've pumped it and I've put it at the beginning of my sentence.

And you can see here in my picture, I've got this subordinate clause, he's before the main man.

So the when the subordinating conjunction, has now moved to the beginning of the sentence.

Let's read it to check it makes sense.

When attacking their prey polar bears use their sharp claws.

So all I've done is I've written a different sentence, but just moved the subordinate clause.

Now there's something really important to remember.

When a subordinate clause is first, where it meets the main clause.

So where it meets the main clause, you must have a comma.

What must you use? A comma.

So you use a comma to separate the main clause from the subordinate clause.

And this marks it for the reader.

So this is different.

The other example where you didn't use a comma, but when it is first, a subordinate clauses is first, you need the comma.

Be careful.

The comma goes at the end of the subordinate clause, not at the end of the subordinating conjunction.

Often I see children putting a subordinating conjunction such as when followed by a comma.

That's not correct.

You need it at the end of the subordinate clause.

What do you need it at the end of? The subordinate clause.

Well done.

When attacking their prey, polar bears use their sharp claws.

The comma is after when attacking their prey, that's the end of the subordinate clause, and before the main clause, polar bears use their sharp claws.

Fantastic.

Seeing lots of claws and clauses today.

Now we're going to have a go at looking and writing a few complex sentences.

So I am going to ask you to write a complex sentence using the subordinating conjunction when.

Which one am i going to ask you to use? When.

Fantastic.

So you've got two main clauses here.

Polar bears use their powerful legs.

They swim underwater to catch seals.

Polar bears use their powerful legs.

They swim underwater to catch seals.

Now, I would like you to change this so one becomes a subordinate clause.

In this sentence that you're writing, I want you to put your main clause first, followed by your subordinating conjunction when followed by your subordinate clause.

So use the picture to remind you which order you need to do it in.

So two things, when is your subordinating conjunction main clause first, followed by the subordinate clause.

Pause the video now, and have a go at writing.

Well done.

I'm going to make you pause it again because I want you to go back and check the punctuation to make sure it's absolutely accurate.

So pause now and check punctuation.

Brilliant, well done, Let's have a look together.

So polar bears use their powerful legs.

Here's my main clause then I've got my subordinating conjunction when they swim underwater to catch seals.

Polar bears use their powerful legs when they swim underwater to catch seals, full stop.

Fantastic.

Now I'd like you to write a complex sentence using the word because.

Which word? Because.

This time, I want you to put your subordinate clause first.

So you've got two main clauses here.

Polar bears are camouflage, they easily catch their prey.

They easily catch their prey.

I want you to change one, into a subordinate clause to join these two ideas together.

So I want you to start with the word because.

That's going to be your first word in this sentence.

Your subordinate clause first, because.

Pause the video and have a go at doing this.

Well done.

So let's check together.

Because polar bears are camouflage, tick I've used because first, which means I've got my subordinate clause first.

Because polar bears are camouflage, comma, they easily catch their prey.

And there is my main clause, they easily catch their prey.

Now, there's a trick here isn't there? When the subordinate clauses is first, I must put the comma after it.

After the clause, not the subordinating conjunction.

So it comes after the word camouflage instead of after because, because I am doing it after the subordinate clause.

Well done.

Let's have another go, a different one.

This time I want you write a complex sentence with as okay, and I would like you to perch your subordinate clause first again.

So, as you did before, put your subordinate clause first.

I've got two main clauses here for you.

They approach their prey.

They slow down.

So these are my two main clauses.

I want you to write a complex sentence with the subordinate clause first, starting with the word subordinating conjunction, as.

Pause the video and have a go.

Fantastic.

Let's see, as polar bears approach their prey, there's my subordinate clause, doesn't make sense by its own.

I need the main man, they slow down.

Now I've explained it.

Now it makes sense.

As polar bears approach their prey, they slow down.

I've got the as the subordinating conjunction first, and then I've made sure I've got my comma marking the subordinate clause and the main clause.

So pause the video now and check you've got those things.

Well done you.

And the last thing to remember, is as for some reason, when children write this, they tend to capitalise the S.

And I'm not sure why.

So the only letters that needs capitalising when as is that the beginning of a sentence is the A just like I have done here.

So make sure your handwriting is nice and clear for me.

Now we're going to review everything we've done in today's lesson.

So lets see how good you are.

You're going to be the teacher now, are you ready? Okay.

I've made some silly mistakes in my writing here today.

And I would like you to spot the mistake in each of these examples.

So it could be punctuation, it could be that I'm missing a clause.

Can you spot what the mistake is? So pause the video and be the teacher and mark my work.

Fantastic.

I knew you do a good job of that.

So come on then, tell me what I've done wrong.

What have I done wrong? In the first one as polar bears catch their prey, What have I done wrong? Oh, you showed me here I need the main clause.

As polar bears catch their prey is not a sentence.

Its a subordinate clause, it can't go on a mission alone.

It needs that main man to come and save it.

So I would need to add in a main man here, main clause.

As polar bears catch their prey, they slow down perhaps something like that.

And I've got my comma because as is first, it's a subordinate clause first.

Next one, when they attack their prey, polar bears use their sharp claws.

I missed my comma and you've put it in exact correct place because when they attack their prey is a subordinate clause and a comma when the subordinate clauses is first must mark the difference between the subordinate clause and the main clause.

Fantastic.

And then finally, oh, I can see you've highlighted the mistake I've made.

As polar bears approach their prey, they slow down.

I shouldn't have that pink comma after as that doesn't work because that's not marking the subordinate clause.

That's just a subordinating conjunction.

So that comma has no role, it's got no purpose.

Whereas the second comma that comes after prey has a purpose because it's marking the main clause from the subordinate clause.

So that's a really common mistake that children make when they write complex sentences and I made it as well.

So make sure you don't make that mistake in your writing.

Fantastic.

Well done today.

You've completed today's lesson, you've learned so much information about subordinate clauses and complex sentences.

Before you go, I want you to shout out what does a subordinate clause need to help it? Shout out.

A main clause.

It cannot go on missions alone.

It doesn't make sense on its own.

Can you shout out now three subordinating conjunctions? Go.

Brilliant.

When, as, because.

Fantastic And what clauses do I need for a complex sentence? Shout out.

A main clause and a subordinate clause joined together with a subordinating conjunction.

Now what I would like you to do with this lesson, is I want you to keep it in your mind whenever you do a writing lesson.

So this is more grammar focused.

So when you come to do a writing lesson, keep this in mind.

Always think about what sentences you're using.

Can you use a complex sentence? On my top tip before you go, stay, don't go.

My top tip is always think of your main clause first, and then think what your subordinate clause could be.

If you start by trying to think of a subordinate clause first, then often you forget about the main clause.

So my top tip is to think about your main clause, and then add your subordinate clause and then your sentences will always make sense.

So well done.

Take that top tip with you and enjoy the rest of your day.