Using subordinate clauses to pack in analysis
Say more per sentence without losing the reader.
A subordinate clause attaches an extra idea, such as a reason, a condition or a qualification, to a main clause, without needing a whole new sentence. Used well, it’s how analysis gets denser without getting harder to follow.
| Two flat sentences | One sentence, with a subordinate clause |
|---|---|
| Macbeth hesitates before the murder. Lady Macbeth questions his masculinity. | Macbeth hesitates before the murder until Lady Macbeth questions his masculinity, revealing how fragile his resolve was to begin with. |
| The composer uses a statistic. It sounds scientific. | The composer cites a statistic that carries no source, lending an argument built on fear a veneer of scientific authority. |
| Jane refuses Rochester. She wants to keep her self-respect. | Jane refuses to stay, even though it means losing everything she has just found, because self-respect matters more to her than security. |
Start with the connector
Words like although, because, given that, whose, which, until signal a subordinate clause is coming — use them to attach the “why” or “so what” directly to your claim.
Keep the main clause the point
The subordinate clause should support the main claim, not compete with it. If the “extra” idea is actually your real point, make it the main clause instead.
Don’t stack more than two
One or two subordinate clauses per sentence adds density. Three or more usually means the reader has lost the main thread — split it into two sentences instead.
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