Complex Sentences
Guía clara sobre las oraciones complejas en español: conjunciones, estructuras subordinadas, oraciones relativas y puntuación para hablar y escribir con mayor precisión y fluidez.
A clear guide to Spanish complex sentences: conjunctions, subordinate structures, relative clauses and punctuation to speak and write with greater precision and fluency.
Complex sentences connect ideas with because, although, when and similar words that show cause, time, condition, or contrast. They make your speech and writing more precise and natural.
Subordinate Clauses
A subordinate clause adds extra information and often begins with a conjunction like because, if, when, although, or since. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
Types
The main types of subordinate clauses are cause (because, since), time (when, while), condition (if, unless), and contrast (although, though). Each type signals a different relationship between ideas.
Cause
A cause clause explains why something happens and usually begins with because or since. It gives the reason for the main action.
Time
A time clause shows when something happens and uses words like when, while, as, or after. It can describe simultaneous or sequential events.
Condition
A condition clause sets a requirement or possibility for the main action and begins with if, unless, or as long as. It shows that something will or will not happen depending on circumstances.
Contrast
A contrast clause highlights a difference or unexpected result and uses although, though, even though, or whereas. It shows that two ideas do not fully align.
Adjective and Adverb Clauses
Subordinate clauses can function as adjectives, modifying a noun, or as adverbs, modifying a verb, adjective, or sentence. Relative pronouns like who, which, and that often introduce adjective clauses.
Summary
Complex sentences use subordinate clauses to show cause, time, condition, and contrast. Learning the common conjunctions for each type helps you link ideas clearly and naturally.
Suggested Reading
English File by Unknown (Oxford University Press series)
Practical English Usage by Michael Swan
English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy
English Grammar Workbook: Simple Grammar for Non-Native Speakers by SIMPLE English Language School
Essential Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy
New Concept English by L. G. Alexander
Oxford Practice Grammar by Norman Coe, Mark Harrison & Ken Paterson
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus
All content was written by our AI and may contain a few mistakes. We may earn commissions on some links. Last updated: Wed Dec 3, 2025, 6:21 PM