COORDINATION AND SUBORDINATION Coordination and Subordination q q

COORDINATION AND SUBORDINATION

Coordination and Subordination q q q When combining two or more ideas in one sentence, you have two choices: coordination or subordination. Choose coordination to indicate that the ideas are equal or nearly equal in importance. Choose subordi nationto indicate that Hacker and Sommers than another. one idea is less important

Coordination Social networking Web sites offer ways for people to connect in the virtual world, but they do not replace face to face social interaction. Social networking Web sites offer ways for people to connect in the virtual world; however, they do not replace face to face social Hacker interaction. and Sommers

Subordination q To give unequal emphasis to two or more ideas, express the major idea in an independent clause and place any minor ideas in subordinate clauses or phrases. Subordinate clauses, which cannot stand alone, typically begin with one of the following subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns: after although as as if because before even though if since so that though unless until when where Hacker and Sommers whether which while whom whose

Combine choppy sentences. q q Short sentences demand attention, so you should use them primarily for emphasis. Too many short sentences, one after the other, make for a choppy style. If an idea is not important enough to deserve its own sentence, try combining it with a sentence close by. Put any minor ideas in subordi natestructures such as phrases or subordinate clauses. Hacker and Sommers

Subordination CHOPPY The Parks Department keeps the use of insecticides to a minimum. The city is concerned about the environment. SUBORDINATE The Parks Department keeps the use of insecticides to a minimum because the city is concerned about the environment. Hacker and Sommers

Avoid ineffective or excessive coordination. q q Coordinate structures are appropriate only when you intend to draw readers' attention equally to two or more ideas. If one idea is more important than another or if a coordinating conjunction does not clearly signal the relationship between the ideas, you should subordinate the less Hacker and Sommers

Subordination INEFFECTIVE colonists Closets were taxed as rooms, and most COORDINATION stored their clothes in chests or clothespresses. IMPROVED WITH colonists Because closets were taxed as rooms, most SUBORDINATION clothespresses. stored their clothes in chests or Hacker and Sommers

Do not subordinate major ideas. q q If a sentence buries its major idea in a subordinate construction, readers may not give the idea enough attention. Make sure to express your major idea in an independent clause and to subordinate. Hacker anyand minor ideas. Sommers

Subordination INEFFECTIVE winner of the Harry S. Truman, who was the unexpected SUBORDINATION 1948 presidential election, defeated Thomas E. Dewey. IMPROVED Dewey, was SUBORDINATION election. Harry S. Truman, who defeated Thomas E. the unexpected winner of the 1948 presidential Hacker and Sommers

Work Cited Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers. “Sentence emphasis. ” A Writer’s Reference. 7 th ed. , Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011.