Lesson video

Hello, how are you? Hope you're doing really, really well.

Thank you for joining me on this class.

Lucking at even though, because and whenever.

Today you are going to need a pen or a pencil and notebook or a piece of paper, so anything to write on.

And then there are some really interesting ideas today.

So we're going to make sure that our brains are warmed up and we're ready to learn.

In order to do that, it's always a good idea to make sure you found a spot wherever you are learning that is free of distractions and if you can't quite do that, just try and find someone that's as quiet as possible, so you can concentrate for the lesson.

When you're ready to get started, let's go.

Here is another opportunity for you to make sure you have everything you need.

So please do pause the video here, get settled and then press play when you're ready to begin.

Here is a quick reminder of how the lesson will run today.

So we'll start off with a reminder of how to use pronouns and an activity for you to practise.

And then we'll move onto the content for today, looking at even though, because, whenever and how to punctuate those words when we use them in a sentence.

We'll then move on to our final writing activity before celebrating how well we've done throughout the lesson.

Some of you may be really confident with pronouns and will be able to do this activity with absolutely no support whatsoever, in which case that is brilliant.

However, there are many of us that do need a quick recap, or just a reminder of how pronouns work.

As you can see on the screen, I've given you four different options.

In each of those options, there are two sentences.

The rule for pronouns is that you cannot repeat the subject of a sentence when the sentence comes straight after it.

So if we have used the subject Steven in our first sentence, we're going to need the next sentence to begin with a pronoun, rather than repeating his name.

When you are doing this activity, bear that in mind.

So just a reminder that for pronouns, we use them to avoid repeating the same subject in our sentences.

So keep that in mind, pause the video here and select the correct option on the screen and then press play when you're ready.

Excellent work, well remembered or well thought out if you didn't know this before and you've still managed to get this correct.

Option three was the right answer.

Steven was meeting friends at four o'clock.

He needed to hurry up.

So you can see that our second sentence begins with the pronoun he, because we need to avoid repeating the word, Steven.

The other options are incorrect because it and they are not the correct pronoun to use for a boy or a man.

So we know Stephen is a male name and therefore the pronoun we need is the male pronoun, he.

now let's move on to look at the lesson for today.

A subordinate conjunction is a word we use to join an independent clause to a subordinate clause.

Let's just quickly recap a few of those terms, 'cause there's a lot of fancy words going on in there.

So we need to make sure that we're all confident with what they mean.

First of all, the phrase in blue.

You can see that I've written independent clause in blue and underneath that there are three examples, also written in blue.

The cat cried all night, the trees creaked loudly and I get good grades.

Each of those sentences or clauses make complete sense by themselves.

They don't need any help.

They can be a sentence by themselves with no support.

And that's why we call them independent clauses.

They don't need any help.

So they're independent.

Now a subordinate clause is a chunk of a sentence which does need some help.

It cannot make sense by itself.

For example, on the right hand side of your screen, you can see that I've written, even though it had been fed, because there was a storm and whenever I revise.

So those underlined chunks of sentence are all subordinate clauses.

They do not make sense by themselves, like the blue independent clauses do.

You will also notice that they connect to the sentences on the left hand side of the screen.

For example, "The cat cried all night, even though it had been fed." So a subordinate clause attaches to an independent clause to give the independent clause some more information.

It might give us more detail, it might make it sound more dramatic, or more exciting for example.

So the subordinate clause is the chunk of the sentence that is added on to our independent one to give us a little bit more.

The subordinate conjunction then and that's the bit in pink on your screen, the subordinate conjunction is a word or sometimes, in the case of even though, we have two words, that joins the independent to the subordinate.

We cannot have a subordinate clause without that subordinate conjunction.

And the subordinate conjunctions we will be looking at today are even though, because and whenever.

Without those words, we would not be able to attach our independent to our subordinate clause.

Your activity now, just to make sure you understood that explanation that I just gave you, is to underline the subordinate conjunction used in each sentence.

So the subordinate conjunction was that pink example on the previous slide that joins your independent clause, the bit that makes sense by itself, with the subordinate, the bit that does not.

The example I've given you is, "I enjoy exercising because it gives me more energy." My subordinate conjunction is because.

It is joining my independent, "I enjoy exercising", with my subordinate, "because it gives me more energy." Your activity is to underline the subordinate conjunction in sentences one, two and three.

Some of you may want to just write one, two, three on your piece of paper and just write the conjunction down.

So if you do not want to write out the full sentence, or you perhaps don't have time to do that right now, that's fine, you can just write down what you would underline on the sentence.

Pause the video here, have a go at underlining those conjunctions and then press play when you're ready to go.

Well done.

I'm sure there has been some excellent work completed there.

Let's have a look at the answers all together.

Now for number one, I have underlined, even though as my subordinate conjunction.

The reason for that, if you have a look at the sentence that has just appeared on your screen, the part written in blue is your subordinate clause.

It's the part that's adding information to the beginning and it cannot make sense by itself.

Even though is linking our independent, "She was still on time", with our subordinate clause, "even though she woke up late." So even though will be our subordinate conjunction.

Number two, "I buy a cake whenever I walk past the bakery." This one is a very true sentence for me.

I cannot walk past a bakery without buying cake.

I'm sure you'd all agree.

Now I've underlined whenever for this one.

You can see that "I buy a cake" is independent.

It makes sense by itself.

And then, "whenever I walk past the bakery" is the part that's adding on some more information.

And the word whenever is the part that connects these two parts, which means it is our subordinate conjunction.

Finally, "The students will be given rewards because they have worked so hard." So for number three, you should have either underlined or written down because.

Again, I have written the subordinate clause in blue just to make you aware of where the join in the sentence is.

So because is the conjunction that is joining the two parts of the sentence.

Here is a rule that we need to be aware of when we are using, even though, because or whenever.

If the part that starts with even though, because, or whenever is at the start of the sentence, it is followed by a comma.

So let me explain in a bit more detail what I mean by that rule.

I have repeated the rule at the top of the screen for you just as a reminder and then you can see the example on the screen.

My first sentence, "I will forgive you because I love you." Following the arrow down, you can see that I have underlined and written in blue the subordinate clause, "because I love you", the part of the sentence that starts with because.

When I move that part of the sentence to the beginning, so my sentence becomes, "Because I love you, I will forgive you." I need to include a comma after the part that begins with because.

So you can see on the screen, there's a circle around where I need to include the comma.

You are going to have a go by yourselves now.

So your job is to rewrite the sentences on the screen.

You are going to move the part that starts with even though, because or whenever to the start of the sentence, exactly as we've just done all together, previous slide.

you are going to do it by yourselves to these five sentences.

If you need to just rewind a little bit to have another look at the example we just spoke about, please feel free to do so and then come back to this screen and press pause to have a go.

Do not forget your commas, okay? So once you have started the sentence with even though, because, or whenever, remember, you need to include your comma just after that chunk of sentence.

Press pause when you're ready and have a go at all five sentences and then press play when you're ready to move on.

Good luck.

Excellent work.

Let's have a look at how we've all done with that activity.

Number one, "Whenever I cook comma, we eat vegetarian food." We have moved the part of the sentence that starts with whenever to the start, which means we need to include a comma just after it.

Number two, "Even though he said he would comma Abdul didn't call." Again, we've moved the part of the sentence beginning with even though, right to the beginning and therefore we need a comma after that subordinate clause.

After that chunk of sentence that adds on the extra information.

Number three, "Whenever I meditate comma, I feel calmer." We've moved the part of the sentence with whenever to the beginning and we know where to put the comma because it's at the end of the extra information.

"I feel calmer" makes complete sense by itself, so that stands alone.

Our comma needs to separate the bit that makes sense with the bit that adds the extra information.

Number four, "Even though I planned it carefully comma, the event went wrong." Yet again, we are using the comma to separate the extra information.

The bit that does not make sense by itself with the bit that does.

The event went wrong, could stand alone.

And finally, number five, "Because it was sunny, comma, I wore sunglasses." Number five might confuse quite a few of you because there is a big chance that you might have thought that you were not allowed to start a sentence with because.

There is nothing wrong with starting a sentence with because.

You can do that, as long as you include your comma in the right place.

If you do not feel comfortable doing that, you can always use because the other way round.

So for example, for number five, you would say, "I wore sunglasses because it was sunny." You don't have to start the sentence with because but you can, if you would like to.

This is a very quick activity, just to check your understanding so far.

There are three sentences on the screen.

A, "Whenever you perform, you blow me away." B, "You will sing badly because you don't try." And C, "Even though I had my doubts, you nailed it." You need to choose which sentence is correct, remembering the rule of where a comma should be.

So press pause here, choose the correct sentence and then press play when you're ready.

How many of you chose option A? I feel like there should be loads of you shouting at the screen right now, so really, really well done, if you chose option A.

"Whenever you perform comma, you blow me away." We know A is correct because it begins with our subordinate conjunction whenever and therefore it needs a comma straight after that part of the sentence.

B is incorrect because our comma is not necessary.

The part of our sentence beginning with our conjunction because comes at the end and therefore the comma is not necessary.

And then for C, there is no comma when we do need it, because it starts with even though.

So we should have a comma after the word "doubts" in C.

Here is your writing task for today.

You can see a picture in the top right hand corner of your screen.

So there are four people and a baby in the picture.

There are some balloons, some gifts and a happy birthday banner.

And you are going to write about this picture using subordinate clauses.

So using all of those words you've practised, as well as where to put punctuation and when you need punctuation.

If you have done other lessons with me, you might want to include some of the other things you've learned.

So when or where something happened, although, unless and if and then the work we've done today on even though, because and whenever.

I've given you an example here, so the picture is on the screen still and my sentences are "Molly had a surprise party in her house." That is me talking about where something happened.

Secondly, I've got another sentence which reads, "Unless they all kept it a secret comma, Molly would know about her party." You can see that I've used the conjunction unless and I've made sure to include my comma because I started the sentence with unless.

And then finally I've used, "Even though Molly was excited, comma, she was also a little embarrassed." So we have the conjunction, even though which means we need the comma right after that chunk of sentence.

Now it's over to you to write a paragraph about the picture on the right hand side, using all the things you've learned today.

I've included some bullet points on the screen to help you along with that.

Pause the video here, use the picture on the screen, as well as the bullet points to help you and then press play when you are ready, have fun.

How did we do with that? I hope you guys wrote some really interesting paragraphs.

I imagine there's quite a few funny paragraphs out there as well.

So let's have a look at what kind of things you've written.

Did you begin all of your sentences with a capital letter? Have a quick look at your own paragraph and maybe just give it a little tick or a circle with everywhere that you have included your capital letters.

Have you also included when or where something happened? So maybe you have spoken about when the party happened, or you could have spoken about where the party happened? Have a read through your own paragraph and just underline or circle where you have done those things as well.

Finally, have you used different subordinate conjunctions? You might have even though, whenever, if.

You might have used a huge variety of all the ones we've looked at, or some of you might have just used a couple but have a quick look through your paragraph and just underline, whenever you can see that you've used a subordinate conjunction.

I'll show you my example.

I am also going to go through how I decided to write what I did.

So I'll share my thought process with you and then you can have a think about your own thought process as well.

My paragraph, "Molly was surprised when she walked in the room.

She was not expecting the party, even though it was her birthday.

Whenever Molly's family plan surprises, they usually ended up telling her.

They weren't very good at keeping secrets.

If Molly's brother had told her, he would have been in lots of trouble.

Molly had a lovely time because she got to spend the day with her family." Some of you at this point may want to pause the video and mark my paragraph for me.

So can you spot everywhere that I've used a capital letter? Everywhere that I have spoken about when or where something happened? And everywhere I have used a subordinate conjunction and then maybe where I've used commas as well? So if you would like to do that, you can press pause here and have a look at how well you think I did.

Here is my marking of my own work.

In pink, I've highlighted all of the things that I have done successfully.

So you can see "when she walked in the room" is me talking about when something happened.

I've highlighted, "even though it was her birthday" using a subordinate conjunction.

You will notice, there's no comma there because it comes at the end of the sentence.

The next part using whenever is in pink because again, it's a subordinate conjunction but this time I do have a comma because I started the sentence with whenever.

Again, "If Molly's brother had told her" has a comma, because I've started my sentence with the conjunction if.

And then finally, at the end, "because she got to spend the day with her family." I've used the subordinate conjunction because but there is no comma because it came at the end of the sentence.

Some of you may have noticed that I've underlined a couple of words in my paragraph.

Why do you think I have underlined those two words? If you yelled, "They're pronouns!" at the screen, you are absolutely 100% correct, well done.

You will notice that I've underlined, she.

Instead of repeating the subject Molly twice, I replaced the second Molly with the pronoun, she.

And again, later on you'll see I've used the pronoun, they instead of repeating Molly's family.

So you may have also done that in your own work.

If you would like to go back and have another look at your paragraph to see if you have done that, that would be excellent.

That is our lesson on even though, whenever and because complete for today.

You've completed some really excellent and some really challenging activities today.

So give yourselves a huge pat on the back, share your work with whoever is at home.

Make sure you show off how well you've done.

And I look forward to spending another lesson with you soon.

Have a nice day.