ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

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ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

• Prepared by Jamil Istifan
• M-DCC, Kendall Campus
• ESL Foreign Languages Department

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What is Clause?

• Its a part of a sentence which contains a
  subject and a verb, usually joined to the rest of
  the sentence by a conjunction. e.g.
• Suzy said that she was happy.
• The word clause is also sometimes used for
  grammatical structures containing participles or
  infinitives (no subject or conjunction). e.g.
• Not knowing where to go, I called Robert I told
  him to try a different path.
• FORMULA Phrase lt Clause lt Sentence

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Main Clause

• Some sentences consist of a main clause and one
  or more subordinate clauses. A subordinate clause
  acts like a port of the main clause (like a
  subject, an object, or an adverbial). e.g.
• Who you are doesnt matter.
• S
• I told him that I didnt care.
• d.o.
• Where you go, youll find Coca-cola.
• adv.

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Co-ordinate Clause

• Its one, two, or more clauses of equal value
  that make up a sentence. It doesnt function as a
  subject, object, complement or adverbial. e.g.
• Its hot today and theres a lot of sun.
• Subordinate Clause
• Its a clause which functions as part of another
  clause (as subject, object, or adverbial) e.g.
• What I need is a sandwich. (subject)
• I thought that he crashed. (object)
• Ill dream of you wherever you are. (adverbial)

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Relative Clauses

• Clauses, beginning with relative pronouns who,
  which, where, used to identify people or things,
  are called relative clauses. e.g.
• Theres a program on T.V. which you might like.
• Relative when and where introduce clauses
  referring to time and place. Why is used after
  reason. e.g.
• Ill never forget the day when I first met you.
• Do you know a shop where I find shoes?
• Do you know the reason why she doesnt like me?
• Object pronouns can be left out. e.g.
• Shes somebody I cant stand. (..somebody that)

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• Relative pronouns have a double use. As subjects
  or objects, they can replace words like he or
  him.
• Shes got a boy-friend. He studies English.
• Shes got a boy-friend who studies English.
• Whose is a possessive relative word. It replaces
  his, her or its. e.g.
• I saw a girl whose hair is blond. (Notwhose her
  hair)
• Which can refer to a noun or to a clause. What,
  that and how cannot be used in the same way. e.g.
• He got married, which surprised me. (Not,
  what/that surprised)

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Identifying Adjective Clauses

• Identifying, defining or restrictive clauses tell
  us which person or thing is meant. e.g.
• This is the car that I rented.
• Non-Identifying Adjective Clauses
• Non-identifying, non-defining or non-restrictive
  clauses tell more about a person or thing that is
  already identified. e.g.
• In 1908 Ford developed his Model T car, which
  sold for 500.
• When a non-identifying clause doesnt come at the
  end of a sentence, 2 commas are necessary. e.g.
• Claudia, who lives in New-York, has moved.

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that and who

• That can refer to things, and in an informal
  style to people. e.g.
• Where is the girl that sells the tickets?
• Where is the girl who sells the tickets?
• who and whom
• In an informal style, who can be used as an
  object. Whom is more formal. e.g.
• The woman who I marry has a sense of humor.
• The woman whom I marry has a sense of humor.
• Omission of a subject
• In informal style, after there is. e.g.
• Theres a man at the door wants to talk to you.

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Position of preposition

• Before relative pronouns it is more formal. At
  the end of relative clauses it is more informal.
  e.g.
• He was respected by the people with whom he
  worked. (formal)
• He was respected by the people (that) he worked
  with. (informal)
• Who and that are not used after prepositions.
  e.g.
• ..the people with whom he worked.
• (notthe people with who/that he worked.)
• That essential to the meaning
• Which not essential to the meaning.