>Do you consider "if" and "because" to be coordinating or subordinating
conjunctions?


"Because" is a subordinating conjunction, but "if" can have two distinct
roles:

(1) "If" is sometimes a subordinating conjunction, introducing an adverbial
clause:

        We'll have a picnic if the rain stops.

Like other adverbials, adverbial clauses can be moved to precede the main
clause:

        If the rain stops, we'll have a picnic.

(2) "If" can also be a complementizer (complementizing conjunction),
introducing a complement clause:

        I wonder if the rain will stop.

Here the "if" clause acts as the direct object of the sentence.  "That" and
"whether" are two other complementizers.

-Richard Veit
UNCW English Department