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purpose:
lest, that, in order that, so that, for fear that, so as, so.
They made me hide so that the soldier should not see me.
He wanted to be great in the world's eyes in order that the woman he loved should be proud of him.
He rose gently to his feet lest he should disturb her.
consequence:
that, so that.
The box was so heavy that I could not lift it.
manner and comparison:
as, the way, as ... as, not so ... as, than, as if, as though.
And do you know why she carries herself the way she does?
As quickly as he could he set forth.
He told him this as though his discovery was his own fault.
concession:
though, although, as, that, even if, whether ... or.
Though they were so poor, Christine and Andrew knew happiness.
Most subordinating conjunctions introduce more than one kind of clause. For instance that may introduce
subject clauses, predicative clauses, object clauses, appositive clauses, adverbial clauses of purpose and
consequence. The conjunction if may introduce subject, object, predicative, appositive, and conditional clauses.
The conjunction whether can introduce subject, predicative, object and appositive clauses and can also express
a disjunctive coordinating connection when used with or. The conjunction as may introduce adverbial clauses
of time, cause, concession and comparison. The conjunctions as though, as if may introduce predicative and
adverbial clauses of comparison.
The subordinating conjunction that is very often omitted:
He said that John would come soon.
He said John would come soon.
He said that John would come soon and that he would take them by car.
He said that John would come soon and he would take them by car.
Of all subordinating conjunctions only if, though, while and when may be used to link single words and
phrases:
a pleasant if talkative child; a cosy, though somewhat dark room; a simple, though profound idea; he did it
willingly, if sceptically; she moved quickly, though awkwardly; when at home, he never spoke about
business.
Two conjunctions may be used alongside each other in two cases:
1) if each of them introduces a separate clause, and one of the clauses is inserted into the other:
She knew that unless her calculations were all at fault he was not going to go.
2) if both conjunctions are combined to express a complex relation.