Intermediate Grammar Project

ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

What are Adjective clauses?

Adjective clauses modify nouns, but they are special, because they can have their own subject and verb.

With subject pronouns

They have relative pronouns:

> who (for people)

> that (for people or things)

> which (for things)

Examples

◈ The man who is sitting next to her is my husband. “Who” represents man.

The man that is sitting next to her is my husband.

◈ The blankets which were in the sofa belong to Stefy. “Which” represents blankets.

The blankets that were in the sofa belong to Stefy.

NOTES:

• It is necessary to put the pronouns, we can’t omit them.
• The verb in the adjective clause must agree with the noun it modifies. 

With object pronouns

The object can be identified because they come after the verb.

Subject + verb + object

And we use object pronouns to modify the object.

They have relative pronouns:

> who/whom (for people): whom is more formal

> that (for people or things)

> which (for things)

> Ø (for people or things)

Examples

◈ Sally looked for the salesperson. The salesperson who Sally talked was younger than I. “Who” represents the salesperson.

The salesperson that Sally talked was younger than I.

The salesperson Ø Sally talked was younger than I.

◈ Carly and Danna had blue backpacks. Blue backpacks that Carly and Danna had were bought at the same store. “That” represents blue backpacks.

Blue backpacks which Carly and Danna had were bought at the same store.

Blue backpacks Ø Carly and Danna had were bought at the same store.

With possessive

The possessive is:

> whose

Whose can represent subject or object of the main clause.

Examples

◈ I have a sister whose eyes are deep blue. “Whose” represents sister, the subject of the main clause.

◈ That is the portrait of the cat, whose fur is brown. “Whose” represents cat, the subject of the main clause.

REFERENCES

Shrives, C. (s. f.). Adjective clause: explanation and examples. https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/adjective_clauses.htm