6.4: Adjective Clauses with Whose

Whose Clauses

Whose can be used as relative pronouns to show possession. The following content will explain how and why it is used.

Slide from Purpose and Function of Adjective Clauses” licensed by Sharon Tjaden-Glass under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

Forming a Whose–Clause

Whose as Subject or Object of the Adjective Clause

SUBJECT OF CLAUSE
Whose replaces the subject —genitive noun or pronoun— in the Adjective clause. Then the clause is placed after the personal noun that it modifies.
The woman is the guest speaker. The woman's name is Carrie. The woman is the guest speaker. Her name is Carrie.
	SUBJECT of ADJECTIVE CLAUSE
The woman	Her name is Carrie.	is the guest speaker.
	whose name
The woman	whose name is Carrie	is the guest speaker.
OBJECT OF ADJECTIVE CLAUSE
Whose replaces the object noun or pronoun in the adjective clause, which is placed after the personal noun it modifies.
The woman is the guest speaker. You met the woman's son. The woman is the guest speaker. You met her son.
	OBJECT of ADJECTIVE CLAUSE
The woman	You met her son	is the guest speaker.
	whose son
The woman	whose son you met	is the guest speaker.

Add commas if the clause adds extra information that is not essential to identifying who the person is. (a non-identifying, non-restrictive clause) See Some or All and That vs Which

Clause Position

Adjective the Subject of the Main Clause

SUBJECT of ADJECTIVE CLAUSE MODIFIES SUBJECT OF MAIN CLAUSE
Below, whose + a clause modifies the subject noun of the main clause. Whose + noun has taken the place of the subject pronoun in the adjective clause.
The man is a doctor. His show is entertaining. The doctor is successful. His advice is amusing.
SUBJECT	SUBJECT of ADJECTIVE CLAUSE
The man	whose show is entertaining subject–verb–adjective	is a doctor.
The doctor	whose advice is amusing	is successful on TV.
OBJECT of ADJECTIVE CLAUSE MODIFIES SUBJECT OF MAIN CLAUSE
Below, that + a clause modifies the subject noun of the main clause. That has taken the place of the object pronoun in the Adjective clause.
The man is a doctor. We watch his show. The doctor is successful. We value his advice .
SUBJECT	SUBJECT of ADJECTIVE CLAUSE
The man	whose show we watch object–subject–verb	is a doctor.
The doctor	whose advice we value	is successful on TV.

complement – a word, phrase or clause which is necessary in a sentence to complete its meaning
verb + complement – elements required to complete the meaning of the clause.

Adjective the Object of the Main Clause

MODIFIES OBJECT OF MAIN CLAUSE
Below, whose + a clause modifies the object noun of the main clause. whose is the subject pronoun in the Adjective clause.
We watch the doctor. His TV show is funny. Do you know the talk show host. His name is Turkish?
	OBJECT	OBJECT of ADJECTIVE CLAUSE
We watch	the doctor	whose TV show is funny subject–verb–adjective
Do you know	the talk show host	whose name is Turkish?
MODIFIES OBJECT OF MAIN CLAUSE
Below, that + a clause modifies the object noun of the main clause. That is also the object pronoun in the Adjective clause.
We watch the doctor. You like his TV show. The doctor is successful. We value his advice.
	OBJECT	OBJECT of ADJECTIVE CLAUSE
We watch	the doctor	whose TV show you like. object–subject–verb
Do you know	the talk show host	whose name I can't remember?

tiny (Adj)– very small

tryout (V) – test drive

Related pages: That vs. Which using commas | Who / Whom using that for people

Punctuation: Identifying (Restrictive) vs. Nonidentifying (Non-Restrictive) Clause

IDENTIFYING CLAUSE

A clause that identifies the noun before it (tells you which person) is not set off with commas. No comma(s) is/are used.

You met the woman whose first name is Carrie.

The man whose TV show is popular is a doctor.

NONIDENTIFYING CLAUSE

A clause that adds extra, nonidentifying (non-restrictive) information is set off with comma(s). See Commas

You met Arianna, whose first name is Carrie.

Dr. Oz, whose TV show is popular, is a doctor.

An identifying clause (restrictive clause) adds information or narrows the noun to a specific one, group or lot. The clause helps by telling us which one. No commas are used. It is also called restrictive, essential , or necessary clause. See That vs. Which Some or All.

A nonidentifying clause (non-restrictive clause) adds extra information about a noun already identified by other means, for example, by name, by shared knowledge or context. The clause, a comment, is set off with commas (before and, if necessary, after the clause). It is also called nonrestrictive, nonessential, or unnecessary clause. See Commas – comments.

Errors and Solutions

ERROR

*The runner who his balloons popped ran to the finish line naked!

*The woman whose husband we chatted with him lives next door.

*The woman who her husband is from Uruguay is going to be the CEO of the company.

Solution

The runner whose balloons popped ran to the finish line naked!

The woman whose husband we chatted with [him] lives next door.

The woman whose husband is from Uruguay is going to be the CEO of the company. (Change who her to whose.)

*incorrect or not used; ~questionable usage
Pop-Q " Balloons"

Practice Exercises

Practice 1: Identifying TV Show Characters

A. Read Context (without clauses)

I like the television program about a funny guy. His dog always stares at him. The man has a great outlook on life. His family encourages him.

One brother is very picky. His tastes are eccentric. The other brother is very practical. He is more easy-going.

The older man is the father of the brothers. His complaints are non-stop. The young woman is the physical therapist of the father. Her accent is from Manchester, England.

The red-haired woman is an assistant. She is a bit of an "airhead".

The character whose face is never seen is the wife of the picky brother. The main character's ex-wife is very funny. She thinks but cannot feel.

The real character is the dog. His performance is the funniest.

accent (N) – particular way of pronouncing words

airhead (slang) – a person who is not too smart

character (N) – a role in the show, a person acting as a person in the show

real character (expression) – an unusual or funny person He's a real character.

easy-going (Adj) – has a more relaxed way of thinking

eccentric (Adj) – unusual, odd

outlook (N) – general attitude towards life and the world

picky (Adj) – choosy, selective (difficult to please!)

robotic (Adj) – like a robot (able to reason–only)

stare (V) – look at or watch causing the subject to become uncomfortable

B. Decide whether to add a who-clause or a whose-clause.

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.

1. I like a TV program about a funny guy (who his dog always stares at him. / whose dog always stares at him.)

2. The man (who family encourages him / whose family encourages him) has a great outlook on life

3. One brother (whose tastes are very eccentric / who tastes are very eccentric) is very picky.

4. The other brother (whose more easy-going / who is more easy-going) is very practical.

5. The older man (whose complaints are non-stop / who complaints are non-stop) is the father of the brothers.

6. The young woman (who her accent is from Manchester / whose accent is from Manchester) is the physical therapist of the father.

7. The red-haired woman (whose the assistant / who is the assistant) is a bit of an "air head.”

8. The character (whose face is never seen / who her face is never seen) is the wife of the picky brother.

9. The main character's ex-wife (who thinks but cannot feel / whose thinks but cannot feel) is very funny

10. The real character (who's performance is the funniest / whose performance is the funniest) is the dog.

Practice 2 :Kinship Names

Read for Errors

My mother's brother's daughter just gave birth to a baby. What should I call this relative?

A sibling is a person whose a brother or sister.

Two people are called siblings whose mother and father are the same.

A person whose mother is also yours is called your sibling.

A person who his mother is your aunt is called cousin.

People are called cousins whose grandparents are the same.

People who are not siblings but who their great grandparents are the same are second cousins.

The term once removed is used for people whose generation differs by one. (The grandparent of one is the great-grandparent of the other.)

Then my mother's brother's daughter whose got a new baby is my cousin.

The baby whose mother is my cousin is my cousin once removed.

The person is the smallest person in the family whose kinship name is the longest.

A. Decide whether the use and placement of the whose-clause is correct or incorrect. If it is incorrect, write the correction on the line. (Don't worry about the kinship terms!)

Select the response correct or incorrect.

11. A sibling is a person whose a brother or sister.

 Incorrect: Correction_______________________________________

12. Two people are called siblings whose mother and father are the same.

 Incorrect: Correction_______________________________________

13. A person whose mother is also yours is called your sibling.

 Incorrect: Correction_______________________________________

14. A person who his mother is your aunt is called cousin.

 Incorrect: Correction_______________________________________

15. People are called cousins whose grandparents are the same.

Correction_______Correct         Incorrect: ________________________________

16. People who are not siblings but who their great grandparents are the same are second cousins.

 Incorrect: Correction_______________________________________

17. The term once removed is used for people whose generation differs by one.

 Incorrect: Correction_______________________________________

18. Then my mother's brother's daughter whose got a new baby is my cousin.

Correct         Incorrect: Correction_______________________________________

19. The baby whose mother is my cousin is my cousin once removed.

Correct         Incorrect: Correction_______________________________________

20. The person is the smallest person in the family whose kinship name is the longest.

 Incorrect: Correction_______________________________________

"Cousin." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 Aug. 2016, http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin. Accessed on 25 Aug. 2016.

Practice 3

Pros and Cons of Being a Celebrity

A. Read for Errors

A person whose famous has to manage both the good and the bad sides of celebrity. On the good side, people are excited to meet a celebrity in the news whose face is easily recognized from television or movies. Such a person attracts the curiosity of other people who they think their lives seem less exciting.

However, a person whose picture is in the news can't hide easily. If he's walking down the street, everyone whose sees him can walk right up to him and ask for an autograph. Also, the public expects to meet a celebrity whose is a model for others.

Celebrity is even more difficult for a woman. A female celebrity in the news whose disheveled picture appears becomes a target for gossip. She cannot leave her house without being "picture perfect". Consequently, when we see celebrities whose heads are covered and whose eyes are hidden behind sunglasses, we can understand why they do so.

Managing the good and the bad is essential for a celebrity who his career depends on it. And though we may feel a little jealous of celebrity privileges, anyone whose experienced fame will tell you it has its pros and cons.

celebrity (N) — (1) a famous, well-known person; (2) fame, renown

curiosity (N) — the desire to learn or know about something

disheveled (Adj) — poorly groomed, badly dressed; looking messy; unkempt

gossip (N) — when people say unkind or unfavorable things that are untruthful

jealous (Adj) — feeling resentment against someone because of that person's success, or advantages

privileges (N) — special rights, benefits

recognized (Adj) — identified

right (adv.) — directly

target (N) — focus of gossip

spotlight (N) — the light of the social or political stage

B. Edit and join the clauses to remove wordiness from the paragraph.

Edit the sentence(s) in the text box.

21. A person whose famous has to manage both the good and the bad sides of celebrity.

Edit 21:

22. On the good side, people are excited to meet a celebrity in the news whose face is easily recognized from television or movies.

Edit 22:

23. Such a person attracts the curiosity of other people who they think their lives may seem less exciting.

Edit 23:

24. However, a person whose picture is in the news can't hide easily.

Edit 24:

25. If he's walking down the street, everyone whose sees him can walk right up to him and ask for an autograph.

Edit 25:

26. Also, the public expects to meet a celebrity whose is a model for others.

Edit 26:

27. Celebrity is even more difficult for a woman. A female celebrity in the news whose disheveled picture appears becomes a target for gossip.

Edit 27:

28. Consequently, when we see celebrities whose heads are covered and whose eyes are hidden behind sunglasses, we can understand why they do so.

Edit 28:

29. Managing the good and the bad is essential for a celebrity who his career depends on it.

Edit 29:

30. And though we may feel a little jealous of celebrity privileges, anyone whose experienced fame will tell you it has its pros and cons.

Grammar Quizzes by Julie Sevastopoulos is licensed for use under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International.