SCONJ

SCONJ stands for subordinating conjunction, a grammatical category used to introduce subordinate (dependent) clauses. Subordinate clauses function as complements or modifiers of a main clause and cannot stand alone. Subordinating conjunctions link these clauses to the main clause and convey various semantic relations such as time, cause, condition, purpose, comparison, or concession.

Common examples of subordinating conjunctions include because, since, after, before, when, while, as, if, although, though, unless, until, as, so that, and that. A sentence such as I left early because I was tired uses because to explain the reason for the action. In I will call you if I arrive early, the clause introduced by if marks a conditional relation. In Although he tried, the effort did not succeed, although signals a concessive relation.

In syntactic analysis, subordinating conjunctions often head a subordinate clause and are tied to a complementizer phrase (CP) that hosts the clause’s subject and verb. Some grammars treat the conjunction as part of the subordinator that marks the clause’s status as dependent. In other frameworks, what is traditionally called a subordinating conjunction may be analyzed as a complementizer or a C element within a CP.

Cross-linguistically, subordination markers vary widely. Many languages use dedicated conjunction words, while others rely on affixes, mood markers, or infinitival constructions to introduce subordinate clauses. The precise status and labeling of SCONJ can differ across grammars and annotation schemes, but the core function—linking a dependent clause to a main clause—remains constant.