Quick Answer
A subordinate clause is a group of words containing a subject and verb that cannot stand alone. On the Digital SAT, these appear frequently in the Reading and Writing section, particularly within Boundaries and Form questions. Students must correctly punctuate them relative to independent clauses to avoid fragments, a common error on approximately 15% of grammar items.
A subordinate clause, also known as a dependent clause, provides additional information but cannot function as a complete sentence. It typically begins with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun, following the rule: [Subordinating Conjunction + Subject + Verb].
Question: Choose the correct punctuation for the underlined portion: 'Because the telescope was calibrated improperly [ , / ; / . ] the images of the nebula appeared blurry.' Solution: The correct answer is a comma. 'Because the telescope was calibrated improperly' is a subordinate clause starting with the conjunction 'Because.' When a subordinate clause precedes an independent clause, a comma must separate them.
Treating it as a sentence: Students often mistake a subordinate clause for a complete sentence, resulting in a fragment error on the SAT.
Using a semicolon: Students may incorrectly use a semicolon to join a subordinate clause to an independent clause, which requires a comma instead of a semicolon.
Misplacing commas: Forgetting the comma when the subordinate clause comes first, or adding an unnecessary comma when a restrictive subordinate clause follows the main clause.
Students targeting 750+ should know that relative clauses starting with 'that' are restrictive and never take commas, whereas those starting with 'which' are often non-restrictive and require commas to set off parenthetical information.
Comma Splice
A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined by only a comma without a conjunction. On the Digital SAT, this error is frequently tested within the 'Boundaries' question type in the Reading and Writing section. Students must identify these mistakes to ensure sentences are punctuated according to Standard English Conventions.
Dependent Clause
A **dependent clause** is a group of words containing a subject and verb that cannot stand alone as a sentence. On the Digital SAT, these frequently appear in the Reading and Writing section, particularly within 'Standard English Conventions' questions where students must correctly punctuate the relationship between clauses to avoid fragments.
Fragment
A fragment is a group of words that lacks an independent clause, failing to express a complete thought. On the Digital SAT, fragments are frequently tested within the Reading and Writing section under 'Boundaries' questions. Typically, these appear 2–4 times per exam, requiring students to identify and correct incomplete sentence structures.
Independent Clause
An independent clause is a grammatical unit that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. On the Digital SAT, this concept is frequently tested in the Reading and Writing section, particularly within Standard English Conventions questions. Students must often distinguish between independent and dependent clauses to avoid punctuation errors like comma splices.
Subordinating Conjunction
Subordinating conjunctions are essential words on the Digital SAT that link a dependent clause to an independent clause. These terms, such as 'because' or 'although,' frequently appear in the Reading and Writing section, particularly within Standard English Conventions questions, where they determine logical relationships and proper sentence boundaries.
A subordinate clause on the SAT is a dependent word group that contains a subject and a verb but lacks the logical completeness to stand as a full sentence. It relies on an independent clause to form a grammatically correct thought. These clauses are central to 'Boundaries' questions, where students must distinguish between complete and incomplete thoughts to apply correct punctuation.
You can identify a subordinate clause by looking for subordinating conjunctions such as 'although', 'since', 'if', or 'while', or relative pronouns like 'who' or 'which'. If the clause leaves the reader waiting for more information to complete the thought despite having a subject and a verb, it is subordinate and must be connected to an independent clause for grammatical stability.
The primary difference lies in their ability to stand alone. An independent clause is a complete sentence that expresses a full thought. In contrast, a subordinate clause is an incomplete thought that functions as a part of a sentence. On the SAT, independent clauses can be joined by semicolons, while subordinate clauses usually require commas when attached to independent clauses.
While the exact number varies by test version, questions involving subordinate clauses typically appear approximately three to six times per Reading and Writing section. These are usually found within the Standard English Conventions modules, specifically targeting punctuation boundaries and sentence structure. Mastery of this concept is essential for avoiding fragments and run-on sentences in high-scoring brackets.
