Subordinating Conjunctions

AAAWWUBBIS Although After As While When Until Because Before If Since is a mnemonic device to help you remember the subordinating conjunctions. A subordinating conjunction is used to connect a dependent clause to an independent clause.

Let’s look at some sentences from stories in the literature book …

~ Seventh Grade by Gary Soto As he trudged to English, he practiced scowling. ~ Seventh Grade by Gary Soto

~ Amigo Brothers Short Story by Piri Thomas While some youngsters were into street negatives, Antonio and Felix slept, ate, rapped, and dreamt positive. ~ Amigo Brothers Short Story by Piri Thomas

Comma after the beginning phrase What did you notice about the structure of each sentence? What did the sentences have in common? Comma after the beginning phrase

So…what’s an AAAWWUBBIS?

Opener , Complete sentence . When an AAAWWUBBIS is the first word of a sentence, you are going to need a comma — usually. Use a comma to set off an opener. Opener , Complete sentence .

comes later in the sentence? What if an comes later in the sentence? AAAWWUBBIS

Look at this sentence from The War of the Wall… When we came from school, the wall was slick with white. What is the AAAWWUBBIS? What does the comma separate?

What if you rewrote the sentence? 1. When we came from school, the wall was slick with white. 2. The wall was slick with white when we came from school. Do you need a comma in the second sentence? Why or why not?

Look at this sentence from Amigo Brothers… Both fighters had a lot of psyching up to do before the big fight. What is the AAAWWUBBIS?

1. Both fighters had a lot of psyching up to do before the big fight. How could you rewrite the sentence so that the AAAWWUBBIS is at the beginning? 1. Both fighters had a lot of psyching up to do before the big fight. 2. Before the big fight, both fighters had a lot of psyching up to do. What did you have to add to the second sentence?

Writing Practice Read the following paragraph. Rewrite the paragraph by combining sentences and using AAAWWUBBIS words.

Example Although After As While When Until Because Before If Since Maria stepped inside the haunted house. Maria heard screams and groans. Maria ran into the next room. Maria saw herself in the mirrors that lined the wall. Have students share with a partner or with the class.

Although After As While When Until Because Before If Since Sample answers: Although After As While When Until Because Before If Since When Maria stepped inside the haunted house, she heard screams and groans. As she ran into the next room, she saw herself in the mirrors that lined the wall. Maria heard screams and groans as she stepped inside the haunted house. When she ran into the next room, she saw herself in the mirrors that lined the wall. Sample answers.