The syntax of the Russian language is an interesting, fascinating, but at the same time extremely complex section of Russian grammar. A complex sentence and everything connected with it is studied in the school course of the Russian language, and is also included in the examination paper.
Variants of subordination of dependent parts of a complex sentence (including consecutive subordination of subordinate clauses) will be discussed below.
Complex sentence: types of subordinate clauses
A complex sentence is a sentence where there are two or more grammatical bases, one of which is the main one, the rest are dependent. For example, the fire went out (main part) when morning came (dependent part). Subordinate, or dependent, parts can be of different types, it all depends on the question that is asked from the main sentence to the dependent. So, when asked which dependent part is considered determinative: the forest (what?), in which we walked, thinned out. If the question of circumstance is attached to the dependent part, then the subordinate part is defined as adverbial. Finally, if the question isdependent part is one of the questions of indirect cases, then the subordinate clause is called explanatory.
Complex sentence: several subordinate clauses
Often in texts and exercises there are complex sentences, where there are several subordinate clauses. At the same time, not only the subordinate clauses themselves can be different, but also the way they are subordinated to the main clause or to each other.
| Name | Description | Example |
| Parallel subordination | The main clause includes dependent parts of various types. | When the ice broke, the fishing began, which the men had been waiting for all winter. (Main clause: fishing began. First adverbial clause: began (when?); second adjective: fishing (what?). |
| Homogeneous submission | The main clause includes dependent parts of the same type. | Everyone knows how BAM was built and how dearly the people paid for it. (The main sentence: everyone knows. Both subordinate explanatory clauses belong to it: how the BAM was built and how dearly the people paid for it. The clauses are homogeneous, since they refer to a single word - it is known, one question is asked of them: it is known (what?) |
| Sequential submission | The main clause has one clause, on which other clauses depend. | He guessed that the movie theylooked, they didn't like it. (He guessed one subordinate clause depends on the main clause: that they didn’t like the film. Another clause related to the main clause depends on the clause: which they watched. |
To determine the parallel, homogeneous, sequential subordination of subordinate clauses is a task that causes difficulties for students. Solving this issue, it is necessary first of all to find the main sentence, and then, asking questions from it, determine the nature of subordination.
Subordination and sequential subordination
In complex sentences, in which there are several predicative stems, there may be subordination of subordinate clauses. Subordinate clauses are subordinate clauses that depend on a single main clause. Sequential subordination is different from subordination. The fact is that in compound sentences with sequential subordination, not all subordinate clauses depend on the main clause, that is, they do not have subordination.
Sequential subordination of clauses
It is not an easy task to determine the types of clauses, especially in sentences with sequential subordination. The question is how to find the consistent subordination of the clauses.
- Read the sentence carefully.
- Highlight grammar basics.
- Determine if a sentence is complex. In other words, find out if there are main and dependent parts, or if the parts of a complex sentence are equal.
- Define clausesparts related directly to the main sentence.
- A clause that is not related in meaning to the main clause will refer to another part dependent on the main clause. This is the sequential subordination of subordinate parts.
Following this algorithm, you can quickly find the offer specified in the task.
The main thing is to know the answer to the question, consistent subordination of subordinate clauses - what is it? This is a complex sentence, where such a subordinate clause depends on the main clause, which is the main clause for another clause.
Sentence structure with sequential subordination of clauses
The most interesting structurally is a complex sentence with sequential subordination of subordinate clauses. A chain of interdependent clauses can be located both outside the main clause and inside it.
The day they spent in the sunny city, where there are many historical monuments, they will remember forever.
Here the main sentence of the day is remembered by them forever encircles the related clauses. The main clause determines the subordinate clause that they spent in the sunny city. This subordinate part is the main one for the subordinate defining part where there are many historical monuments. Therefore, this is a consistent subordination of subordinate clauses. In another sentence, He saw the owner scolding his cat for catchingchicken the main clause is located outside the subordinate clauses.
Examples of sequential subordination of clauses
Sequential subordination of subordinate clauses is used both in colloquial speech and in writing. Such sentences are found in works of fiction. For example, A. S. Pushkina: Natalya Gavrilovna was famous at the assemblies as the best dancer, which was … the reason for the misconduct of Korsakov, who came the next day to apologize to Gavrila Afanasyevich; at L. N. Tolstoy: I remembered how once he thought that his husband had found out and was preparing for a duel … in which he intended to shoot into the air; I. A. Bunin: And when I looked up, it seemed to me again … that this silence is a mystery, part of what is beyond the knowable.
