I've always considered these to be subordinate (and so I was taught) - i.e.
"complex." They still look that way to me now.

Paul D.

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From: EDWARD VAVRA <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Subordination/Coordination
Date: Monday, May 03, 1999 2:29 PM

I recently read something that led me to ask all of you the following
question:

Do you consider "if" and "because" to be coordinating or subordinating
conjunctions?  For example, consider the following two sentences:

He wanted to know if it rained.
and
He was late because he forgot.

Are they compound (two main clauses), or are they complex (a main clause
and a subordinate clause)?

I will appreciate your answers very much.
Thanks,
Ed V.
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