Which term refers to the grammatical category that includes words like 'because' and 'since' when introducing dependent clauses?

• A. Subordinating conjunction
• B. Preposition
• C. Adverb
• D. Conjunction

Answer: (A)

Words that introduce a dependent clause—clauses that can’t stand alone but are attached to the main clause—are called subordinating conjunctions. Because and since are classic examples: they link a dependent clause to the independent clause and signal a relationship such as reason. For instance, in a sentence like “Because it was raining, we stayed indoors,” the phrase “Because it was raining” cannot stand alone and is connected to the main clause to explain why we stayed indoors. That function—introducing a dependent clause and linking it to the main idea—fits the category of subordinating conjunctions. This is distinct from prepositions or adverbs, which don’t introduce a full dependent clause in this way, and from general conjunctions, which might only join elements of equal importance.