CP Writing
Grammar Lesson #11 (w/ Vocab Lesson #26)
The Adjective Clause – a dependent clause that modifies a noun. It describes, identifies, or
gives further information about a noun. (An adjective clause is also called a relative clause.)
RULES
1. Adjective clauses may begin with a relative pronoun: who, whom, whose, that, which
ex: Magazines that inform and entertain are my favorites.
2. Adjective clauses may begin with where or when
ex: The store where I shop the most is Trader Joe’s.
3. Sometimes the relative pronoun is dropped from the beginning of an adjective
clause.
ex: Cooking Light is the magazine [that] I like best.
4. An adjective clause closely follows the noun it modifies.
5. Who – used for people; which – used for things, that – used for people and things
6. On punctuating adjective clauses:
a. do not use commas if the adjective clause is necessary to identify the noun it
modifies
b. use commas if the adjective clause simply gives additional information
Adjective Clause Pronouns as the Subject
I thanked the woman. She helped me. = I thanked the woman who helped me.
- I thanked the woman. = independent clause
- who helped me = adjective clause, modifies woman
- who is the subject of the adjective clause.
EXERCISE 1
Combine the two sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. Use who, that, or
which.
1. I saw the man. He closed the door.
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2. The girl is happy. She won the race.
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3. The student is from China. He sits next to me.
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4. We are studying sentences. They contain adjective clauses.
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5. The taxi driver was friendly. He took me to the airport.
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Adjective Clause Pronouns as the Object of a Preposition
*In formal English, the preposition comes at the beginning of the adjective clause. However, in
everyday usage, the preposition comes after the subject and verb of the adjective clause.
*If the preposition comes at the beginning of the adjective clause, only whom or which may be
used. A preposition is never immediately followed by that or who.
She is the woman. I told you about her.
- She is the woman about whom I told you. (formal)
- She is the woman who I told you about. (casual)
- She is the woman that I told you about. (casual)
- She is the woman I told you about. (casual – omitted pronoun)
The music was good. We listened to it last night.
- The music to which we listened last night was good. (formal)
- The music which we listened to last night was good. (casual)
- The music that we listened to last night was good. (casual)
- The music we listened to last night was good. (casual – omitted pronoun)
EXERCISE 2
Combine the sentences using the second sentence as an adjective clause. Use prepositions.
1. The meeting was interesting. I went to it.
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2. The man was very kind. I talked to him yesterday.
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3. I must thank the people. I got a present from them.
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4. The picture was beautiful. She was looking at it.
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5. I ran into a woman. I had gone to elementary school with her.
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Using WHOSE
*Whose is used to show possession. It carries the same meaning as the other possessives
pronouns used as adjectives: his, her, its, their. Like his, her, its, their, whose must be connected
to a noun = his bicycle/whose bicycle; her shoe/whose shoe. Both whose and the noun it is
connected to as placed at the beginning of the adjective clause. You cannot omit whose. Usually
whose modifies people, but can modify things.
I know the man. His bicycle was stolen.
- I know the man whose bicycle was stolen.
Mr. Jones has a painting. Its value is inestimable.
- Mr. Jones has a painting whose value is inestimable.
EXERCISE 3
Combine the sentences, using the second as the adjective clause. Use whose.
1. I know a man. His last name is Jingleheimerschmidt.
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2. I apologized to the woman. I spilled her coffee.
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3. The professor is excellent. I am taking her course.
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4. Mr. North teaches a class for students. Their native language is not English.
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5. I live in a dormitory. Its residents come from many countries.
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Using WHERE and WHEN
*Where is used to modify a place (city, country, room, house, etc.). If where is used, a
preposition is NOT included in the adjective clause. If where is not used, the preposition must be
included.
*When is used to modify time (day, month, year, etc.) A preposition is used preceding which,
otherwise it is omitted.
EXERCISE 4
Combine the sentences, using the second sentence as an adjective clause.
1. The city was beautiful. We spent our vacation there [in that city].
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2. That is the restaurant. I will meet you there [at that restaurant].
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3. The town is small. I grew up there.
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4. 1960 is the year. The revolution took place then [in that year].
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5. July is the month. The monsoons usually begin then.
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Using Expressions of Quantity in Adjective Clauses
*An adjective clause may contain an expression of quantity with of: some of, many of, most of,
none of, two of, half of, both of, neither of, each of, all of, several of, a few of, little of, a number
of. The expression of quantity precedes the pronoun. Only whom, which, and whose are used in
this pattern. Adjective clauses that begin with expressions of quantity are more common in
writing than in speaking. Commas are used.
In my class there are 20 students. Most of them are from the Far East.
- In my class there are 20 students, most of whom are from the Far East.
He gave several reasons. Only a few of them were valid.
- He gave several reasons, only a few of which were valid.
EXERCISE 5
Combine the two sentences using the second one as an adjective.
1. The city has 16 schools. Two of the are junior colleges.
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2. Last night the orchestra played three symphonies. One of them was Beethoven’s Seventh.
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3. I tried on six pairs of shoes. I liked none of them.
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4. The village has around 200 people. The majority of them are farmers.
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5. After the riot, over one hundred people were taken to the hospital. Many of them had been
innocent bystanders.
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Using Noun + Of Which
*An adjective clause may include a noun + of which (the top of which). This pattern carries the
meaning of whose (We have an antique table whose top has jade inlay.) The pattern is used in an
adjective clause that modifies a thing and occurs primarily in formal written English. A comma
is used.
We toured the 300-year-old house. The exterior of the house consisted of logs
cemented with clay.
- We toured the 300-year-old house, the exterior of which consisted of logs cemented
with clay.
EXCERSISE 6
Combine the two sentences using the second one as the adjective clause.
1. They owned an original Picasso painting. The value of that painting is more than a million
dollars.
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2. My country is dependent upon its income from coffee. The price of coffee varies according to
fluctuations in the world market.
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