Explain where the verb goes in subordinate clauses
The verb in subordinate clauses goes to the end of the clause. Subordinate clauses are dependent and cannot stand alone; they rely on a main clause to form a complete sentence. Typically, a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun introduces the subordinate clause, and the conjugated verb appears at the very end of that clause.
For example, in English:
- “Because I was tired, I went to bed.” Here, “was” is the verb, positioned at the end of the subordinate clause “Because I was tired.”
In German subordinate clauses, the verb placement rule is even stricter: the conjugated verb always goes to the end of the subordinate clause, regardless of the clause’s length or verb complexity. If there are multiple verbs (modal verbs, perfect tense, passive voice), the conjugated verb is placed at the very end, and the other verbs precede it in order.
This verb-at-the-end placement distinguishes subordinate clauses from main clauses, where the verb typically occupies the second position in the sentence structure.
In summary:
- The verb in subordinate clauses appears at the end.
- Subordinate clauses cannot stand alone and need a main clause.
- They start with subordinating conjunctions (English examples: because, although, if; German examples: dass, weil, wenn) or relative pronouns (who, which, that).
- Verb placement is a key property defining subordinate clauses in many languages, especially German.
This explanation applies generally to subordinate clauses in English and German, confirmed by grammar sources on subordinate clause structure and word order. 1, 2, 4, 5, 9