6.2: Subject and Object Relative (Adjective) Clauses
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Adjective clauses are made when two sentences are combined to avoid repetition of nouns or pronouns. When the repeated noun or pronoun is a subject in the second sentence, the relative pronoun that replaces the noun or pronoun will be the subject of the adjective clause.
Sentence 1: The person left my car parked on Main Street.
Sentence 2: The person stole my car.
Combined: The person who stole my car left it parked on Main Street
Let’s break down the steps taken to create the combined sentence.
1. The second sentence describes what the subject of the first sentence did. Adjective clauses need to be next to the noun they describe. Move the sentence next to the noun it’s describing.
The person [The person stole my car.] left it parked on Main Street
2. Replace the repeated noun or pronoun with the appropriate relative pronoun. In this case, the subject of the main clause is a person, so my two options are who or that depending on whether the clause is restrictive or non-restrictive.
The person [The person who stole my car.] left it parked on Main Street
3. The final step is to punctuate the clause depending on whether the clause is restrictive or non-restrictive. In this example, the clause is restrictive, so no commas are necessary.
The person who stole my car left it parked on Main Street
For more information on this topic, watch this video: Subject Relative (Adjective) Clause
Exercise 13-Creating Adjective Clauses with Subject Relative Pronouns
Combine the sentences below. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause.
1. My friend studies engineering. She is from Oman.
2. The man has five cars. He lives on my street.
3. The restaurant is always busy. It serves halal meat.
4. The movie was fantastic! It was directed by Ava DuVernay.
5. Shawshank Redemption is one of the best movies. It was released in 1994.
6. McDonald’s is an international fast-food company. It was founded in 1955 in California.
7. The student needs a break. She just finished a four-hour exam.
8. Zahra needs a break. She just finished a 5-mile run.
9. My mom visits her grandchildren often. She loves her grandchildren. (Change grandchildren to a pronoun after the sentences are combined so that the word is not repeated)
10. The classes are full. The classes cover popular topics.
Object Relative Pronouns
When the repeated noun or pronoun is an object in the second sentence, the relative pronoun that replaces the noun or pronoun will begin the adjective clause and replace the object of the adjective clause’s original sentence.
Sentence 1: The woman likes square dancing.
Sentence 2: You met the woman at the party.
Combined: The woman who/whom you met at the party likes square dancing.
Let’s break down the steps taken to create the combined sentence.
1. The second sentence has a noun or pronoun repeated from the first sentence. The repeated noun or pronoun is the object of the second sentence. Adjective clauses need to be next to the noun they describe. Move the sentence next to the noun it’s describing.
The woman [You met the woman at the party.] likes square dancing.
2. Replace the repeated noun or pronoun with the appropriate relative pronoun. The relative pronoun will not be in the same position as the noun or pronoun it replaces. The relative pronoun will begin the clause. For choosing which relative pronoun to use, the subject of the main clause is a person, so my two options are who or whom (used for people and function as objects) or that depending on whether the clause is restrictive or non-restrictive.
The woman [who/whom You met the woman at the party.] likes square dancing.
3. The final step is to punctuate the clause depending on whether the clause is restrictive or non-restrictive. In this example, the clause is restrictive, so no commas are necessary.
The woman who/whom you met at the party likes square dancing.
Note: "Whom" is used in formal language. With object relative pronouns,"who" is more common than "whom" in both spoken and written langugage.
For more information on this topic, watch this video: Object Relative (Adjective) Clauses
Exercise 14-Creating Adjective Clauses with Object Relative Pronouns
Combine the sentences below. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause so that the relative pronoun functions as the object.
1. The book was interesting. We read it last summer.
2. The movie was very powerful. I just finished it.
3. The man is from Sucre, Bolivia. I met him yesterday.
4. The essay has great development. You wrote it.
5. The museum has an exhibit for Día de Los Muertos. We will visit it next week.
6. The cookies were delicious. Christina made them.
7. The teacher explains topics very well. I visit her during office hours.
8. The politician had created helpful laws for the people she represented. The senate honored her.
9. The land was not valuable. The government gave it to the indigenous population.
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