Table of
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Parts of
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Sentence
Structure
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Phrases &
Clauses
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Capitalization
& Punctuation
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Scope &
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by Kitty Nash
Module 10, Clauses, Lesson 2:
Adjective Clauses
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De nition: An adjective clause (also called relative clause) is a dependent clause that modi es a noun or
pronoun. It tells which one or what kind . Adjective clauses almost always come right after the nouns they
modify.
There is the mountain that we are going to climb.
My blue tennis shoes, which used to be my mom's, were under the bed.
Daniel, who was late again today, sits next to me in English.
Using dependent clauses is a way of combining sentences.
Daniel was late again today + Daniel sits next to me in English = Daniel, who was late again today, sits next to
me in English.
❖ With relative pronouns - An adjective clause generally begins with a relative pronoun ( that, which,
who, whom, whose ) that connects the clause to the noun or pronoun it modi es. The relative
pronoun shows the relationship between the clause and the antecedent.
There is the mountain that we are going to climb. (Antecedent = mountain. That connects the clause
we are going to climb that with the antecedent.)
My blue tennis shoes, which used to be my mom's, were under the bed. (Antecedent = shoes. Which is
a pronoun replacing shoes in the dependent clause shoes used to be my mom's and relating it to
the subject of the independent clause.)
Daniel, who was late again today, sits next to me in English. (Antecedent = Daniel, Who = Daniel, so the
dependent clause means Daniel was late again today . Who is replacing Daniel in the second clause
and relating it to the subject of the independent clause.)
The relative pronoun has a grammatical function in the sentence.
There is the mountain that we are going to climb. ( That is the direct object of the in nitive to climb .)
My blue tennis shoes, which used to be my mom's, were under the bed. ( Which is the subject of the verb
used .)
Daniel, who was late again today, sits next to me in English. ( Who is the subject of the dependent clause.)
Hint: When choosing between who and whom , consider how the pronoun is used in the dependent
clause, not the independent clause.
These are the students who are going. ( Who is the subject of the dependent clause.)
These are the students. Who are going. (They are going.)
Those are the students for whom I bought the tickets. ( Whom is the object of the preposition for .)
Those are the students. I bought the tickets for whom . (I bought the tickets for them.)
❖ With understood pronouns - Sometimes the relative pronoun is understood and not written in the
sentence.
Have you seen the book I lost?
Have you seen the book [that] I lost?
The teacher I had in fth grade really inspired me.
The teacher [whom] I had in fth grade really inspired me.
❖ With prepositions - If the relative pronoun is the object of a preposition and is left out, the
preposition has no choice but to dangle. In informal, spoken English, this is ne. It is also ne in
spoken English to end the clause with the preposition. However, in formal English it is better to put
the preposition before the pronoun. Note that the preposition is part of the dependent clause.
This movie was the sequel we had been waiting for. (Informal)
This movie was the sequel, which we had been waiting for. (Informal)
This movie was the sequel for which we had been waiting. (Formal)
Do you know the actor Shelly is talking about? (Informal)
Do you know the actor that Shelly is talking about? (Informal)
Do you know the actor about whom Shelly is talking? (Formal) (Note that that becomes whom or
which .)
❖ With relative adverbs - Adjective clauses can also start with the relative adverbs where , when , and
why . They connect the dependent clause to a noun in the sentence. The relative adverb modi es the
verb in the dependent clause.
That is the bench where you and I were supposed to meet.
Six o'clock was the time when we were supposed to be there.
That is the reason why I couldn't meet you.
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