Understanding Adjective
Clauses
Lesson 14
Joseph C. Blumenthal
We have studied adverb clauses—clauses
that are used as adverbs.
Now we turn our attention to the adjective
clause.
As its name suggests, an adjective clause is a
clause that is used as an _______.
We have studied adverb clauses—clauses
that are used as adverbs.
Now we turn our attention to the adjective
clause.
As its name suggests, an adjective clause is a
clause that is used as an adjective.
An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun.
I just read an interesting article.
The word interesting is an adjective because
it modifies the noun _______.
An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun.
I just read an interesting article.
The word interesting is an adjective because
it modifies the noun article.
a. I just read an interesting article.
b. I just read an article which interested
me.
The clause in sentence b does the same job
as the adjective interesting in sentence a.
The clause which interested me is therefore
called an _______ clause.
a. I just read an interesting article.
b. I just read an article which interested
me.
The clause in sentence b does the same job
as the adjective interesting in sentence a.
The clause which interested me is therefore
called an adjective clause.
I just read an article which interested me.
Now look at just the adjective clause.
Does it have a subject and a verb? (yes, no)
I just read an article which interested me.
Now look at just the adjective clause.
Does it have a subject and a verb? (yes, no)
I just read an article which interested me.
Although the adjective clauses has a subject
and a verb, does it make sense by itself
apart from the sentence? (yes, no)
I just read an article which interested me.
Although the adjective clauses has a subject
and a verb, does it make sense by itself
apart from the sentence? (yes, no)
a. A tree surgeon removed the dead
branches.
b. A tree surgeon removed the branches
that were dead.
Both the adjective dead in sentence a and
the adjective clause that were dead in a
sentence b modify the noun ________.
a. A tree surgeon removed the dead
branches.
b. A tree surgeon removed the branches
that were dead.
Both the adjective dead in sentence a and
the adjective clause that were dead in a
sentence b modify the noun branches.
a. A tree surgeon removed the dead
branches.
b. A tree surgeon removed the branches
that were dead.
The adjective dead in sentence a comes
before the noun it modifies.
The adjective clause that were dead comes
(before, after) the noun it modifies.
a. A tree surgeon removed the dead
branches.
b. A tree surgeon removed the branches
that were dead.
The adjective dead in sentence a comes
before the noun it modifies.
The adjective clause that were dead comes
(before, after) the noun it modifies.
It is easy to see why an adjective clause
must come after the word it modifies.
A tree surgeon removed the branches that
were dead.
If we put the adjective clause before the
noun branches, which it modifies, the
sentence would be very (smooth, clumsy).
It is easy to see why an adjective clause
must come after the word it modifies.
A tree surgeon removed the branches that
were dead.
If we put the adjective clause before the
noun branches, which it modifies, the
sentence would be very (smooth, clumsy).
In a previous lesson, you saw that an adverb
clause can often be shifted from one
position to another.
I watched television after I studied.
Can the adverb clause after I studied be
moved to another position? (yes, no)
In a previous lesson, you saw that an adverb
clause can often be shifted from one
position to another.
I watched television after I studied.
Can the adverb clause after I studied be
moved to another position? (yes, no)
The teacher scolded the little girl who
wandered away from the group.
Can the adverb clause who wandered away be
moved to another position? (yes, no)
The teacher scolded the little girl who
wandered away from the group.
Can the adverb clause who wandered away be
moved to another position? (yes, no)
An adjective clause must ALWAYS follow
the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Can the adjective clause ever come at the
very beginning of a sentence? (yes, no)
An adjective clause must ALWAYS follow
the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Can the adjective clause ever come at the
very beginning of a sentence? (yes, no)
a. The chair collapsed when I sat down.
b. I sat on the chair which was broken.
In which sentence can the clause not be
moved to another position? (a, b)
a. The chair collapsed when I sat down.
b. I sat on the chair which was broken.
In which sentence can the clause not be
moved to another position? (a, b)
a. The chair collapsed when I sat down.
b. I sat on the chair which was broken.
Which sentence contains an adjective
clause? (a, b)
a. The chair collapsed when I sat down.
b. I sat on the chair which was broken.
Which sentence contains an adjective
clause? (a, b)
a. The bank discharged the employee who
gambled.
b. The bank discharged the employee
because he gambled.
In one sentence the clause can be shifted; in
the other, it can’t.
Which sentence contains the adjective
clause? (a, b)
a. The bank discharged the employee who
gambled.
b. The bank discharged the employee
because he gambled.
In one sentence the clause can be shifted; in
the other, it can’t.
Which sentence contains the adjective
clause? (a, b)
There are only a small number of clause
signals that generally start adjective
clauses.
who (whose, whom), which, that
These adjective clause signals are (the same
as, different from) those that start
adverb clauses.
There are only a small number of clause
signals that generally start adjective
clauses.
who (whose, whom), which, that
These adjective clause signals are (the same
as, different from) those that start
adverb clauses.
a. while, when, as if, because, unless,
although, etc.
b. who, (whose, whom), which, that
Which group contains the clause signals that
are used to start adjective clauses? (a, b)
a. while, when, as if, because, unless,
although, etc.
b. who, (whose, whom), which, that
Which group contains the clause signals that
are used to start adjective clauses? (a, b)
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The adjective clause who raises tropical fish
modifies the noun _____.
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The adjective clause who raises tropical fish
modifies the noun friend.
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
An adjective clause signal is nearly always a
pronoun. This pronoun stands for the noun
that the entire clause modifies.
In the above sentence, the pronoun who
stands for the noun _____.
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
An adjective clause signal is nearly always a
pronoun. This pronoun stands for the noun
that the entire clause modifies.
In the above sentence, the pronoun who
stands for the noun friend.
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The noun that the adjective clause modifies
and the pronoun who stands for are (the
same word, different words).
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The noun that the adjective clause modifies
and the pronoun who stands for are (the
same word, different words).
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The pronouns that start adjective clauses
are called relative pronouns because they
relate (or connect) the adjective clause
to the sentence.
The clause signal who in the above sentence
is called a ______ pronoun.
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The pronouns that start adjective clauses
are called relative pronouns because they
relate (or connect) the adjective clause
to the sentence.
The clause signal who in the above sentence
is called a relative pronoun.
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The relative pronoun who starts the
adjective clause. It also stands for the
noun _____, which the clause modifies.
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The relative pronoun who starts the
adjective clause. It also stands for the
noun friend, which the clause modifies.
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
In the above sentence the relative pronoun
who is the subject of the verb _____.
I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
In the above sentence the relative pronoun
who is the subject of the verb raises.
Let’s take another look at the adjective
clause signals.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS: who, (whose, whom),
which, that
The student…essay wins receives a
scholarship.
Which relative pronoun would be appropriate
in this sentence? _____
Let’s take another look at the adjective
clause signals.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS: who, (whose, whom),
which, that
The student…essay wins receives a
scholarship.
Which relative pronoun would be appropriate
in this sentence? whose
The woman whose car we bumped was very
angry.
The adjective clause starts with the relative
pronoun whose and ends with the word
_____.
The woman whose car we bumped was very
angry.
The adjective clause starts with the relative
pronoun whose and ends with the word
bumped.
The woman whose car we bumped was very angry.
The woman
was very angry.
When we omit the adjective clause, do we have
a complete sentence remaining? (yes, no)
The woman whose car we bumped was very angry.
The woman
was very angry.
When we omit the adjective clause, do we have
a complete sentence remaining? (yes, no)
A boy who had never fished before caught
the most fish.
In this sentence the adjective clause starts
with the relative pronoun ___ and ends with
the word _____.
A boy who had never fished before caught
the most fish.
In this sentence the adjective clause starts
with the relative pronoun who and ends with
the word before.
A boy who had never fished before caught
the most fish.
A boy
caught the most fish.
When we omit the adjective clause, do we have
a complete sentence remaining? (yes, no)
A boy who had never fished before caught
the most fish.
A boy
caught the most fish.
When we omit the adjective clause, do we have
a complete sentence remaining? (yes, no)
If a complete sentence does not remain after
we omit the adjective clause, we have not
selected the clause correctly.
a. The rope (which controls the curtain
broke).
b. The rope (which controls the curtain)
broke.
The clause is correctly selected in sentence
(a, b).
If a complete sentence does not remain after
we omit the adjective clause, we have not
selected the clause correctly.
a. The rope (which controls the curtain
broke).
b. The rope (which controls the curtain)
broke.
The clause is correctly selected in sentence
(a, b).
If a complete sentence does not remain after
we omit the adjective clause, we have not
selected the clause correctly.
a. The blood (which flows from a wound)
washes away the germs.
b. The blood (which flows from) a wound
washes away the germs.
The clause is correctly selected in sentence
(a, b).
If a complete sentence does not remain after
we omit the adjective clause, we have not
selected the clause correctly.
a. The blood (which flows from a wound)
washes away the germs.
b. The blood (which flows from) a wound
washes away the germs.
The clause is correctly selected in sentence
(a, b).
Write the following answers on your
own sheet of paper.
The clause signal where can start either an
adverb clause or an adjective clause.
If the clause modifies a verb, it is considered
an adverb clause.
1. If the clause modifies a noun or pronoun,
it is considered an ________ clause.
a. I eat at the store where I work.
b. I eat where I work.
In one sentence the clause is an adverb clause
because it modifies a verb; in the other, it is
an adjective clause because it modifies a
noun.
2. The adjective clause is in sentence (a, b).
I eat at the store where I work.
3. The clause where I work is an adjective
clause because it modifies the noun
__________.
a. We camped where there were few trees.
b. We camped on a field where there were few
trees.
4. The adjective clause is in sentence (a, b).
Although the clause signal when generally
starts adverb clauses, it can also start an
adjective clause.
a. My friend telephoned when I was very busy.
b. My friend telephoned on a day when I was
very busy.
5. The clause that is used as an adjective
clause because it modifies a noun is in
sentence (a, b).
A man that looked like a reporter asked me
several questions.
The adjective clause starts with the word
6.________ and ends with the word
7.________
A man that looked like a reporter asked me
several questions.
8. Write the sentence that remains after
you remove the clause.
The world owes its scientific process to men
and women who are driven by an insatiable
curiosity.
The adjective clause starts with the word
9._________ and ends with the word
10._________.
The statistics which the speaker quoted were
out of date.
The adjective clause starts with the word
11.__________ and ends with the word
12.__________.
This soap is for people whose skin is sensitive
to ordinary soap.
The adjective clause starts with the word
13.__________ and ends with the word
14.__________.
The car which won the first automobile race
traveled at five miles per hour.
The adjective clause starts with the word
15.__________ and ends with the word
16.__________.
You are done!!!