7.5: GRAMMAR- Using Adjective Clauses
- Page ID
- 302699
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)
\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)
\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)
Like noun clauses, adjective clauses are also very important to academic writing. Why? Because they offer more precise description, and that makes your writing more interesting and more useful for your readers. Adjective clauses help you add important supporting details in new and different ways.
A CLOSER LOOK
A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb.
A clause can be independent. That means it has a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete idea. A simple sentence is an independent clause.
A clause can be dependent. That means it has a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete idea. It must be attached to an independent clause to make sense.
An adjective clause is a dependent clause. It works like an adjective. It has a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete idea. An adjective clause almost always comes immediately after the noun that it describes.
Adjective clauses begin with a relative pronoun.
Types of adjective clauses
Here are some examples of relative pronouns and how they are used:
| Relative Pronouns | Purposes | Functions | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| who | to describe people | subject (or object informal) | Wearing masks is important both for people who are vaccinated and people who are not yet vaccinated. Many people (who) I know enjoy playing soccer. (informal) |
| which | to describe things | subject or object | I bought my computer, which was expensive, from Best Buy. (subject) Here are the essay instructions, which I think you will find useful. (object) |
| that | to describe people (informally) or things | subject or object | ESOL classes at PCC will help you to improve the language skills that are necessary for work and life. (subject) Critical thinking is a skill that I know is important in college. (object)Many people (that) I know enjoy playing soccer. (informal) |
| whom | to describe people | object (formal) | Many people whom I know enjoy playing soccer. (formal) |
| whose | to describe people | possessive determiner (often followed by a noun) | That class is taught by a teacher whose name I cannot remember right now. |
| where | to express a place | PCC is a place where diversity is valued. | |
| when | to express a time | There was a scene in the movie when I could predict the ending. | |
| why | to express a reason | The reason why I want to study English is to get a better job. |
NOTE: In adjective clauses that use who, that, and which as a subject, the verb of the adjective clause agrees with the noun that the adjective clause describes.
Restrictive and non-restrictive adjective clauses
Adjective clauses that do not provide essential information are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. Adjective clauses that provide essential information are not separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. Compare these two examples:
- René Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist who became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images.
- René Magritte, who became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images, was a Belgian surrealist artist.
In the first sentence above, the adjective clause who became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images is necessary information. It is important to the author/speaker that you know all of this information about the artist.
In the second sentence above, however, the important part is only that Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist. The other information is extra and not necessary to understand the meaning of the sentence or the intentions of the author/speaker.
NOTE: We do not use the relative pronoun that in non-restrictive clauses.
Watch this video to learn more:
A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here: https://pb.libretexts.org/synthesis/?p=190
Query \(\PageIndex{1}\)
Query \(\PageIndex{2}\)
Query \(\PageIndex{3}\)