>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