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Adjective Clauses

An adjective clause is a dependent clause that modifies (describes) the noun or pronoun that comes right
before it in the independent clause. As with any clause, a dependent adjective clause has both a subject and a
predicate, but is not an independent clause because it does not express a complete thought. Therefore, it cannot
stand by itself and has to be combined with an independent clause. Generally, an adjective clause begins with
a relative pronoun, such as that, which, who, whom, whose, whoever, or whomever. The job of a relative
pronoun is to connect the two clauses together, just like a coordinate conjunction in a compound sentence.
Adjective clauses can also begin where or when. Finally, a relative pronoun that begins an adjective clause
can be the subject of that dependent clause.

Ex. This book, which was written (in 1915), is very interesting.

Ex. A railroad flare produces a bright flame that can be seen hundreds (of yards) away.

Notice that there are only commas in the first example. That is because you only use a comma in
non-essential (un-needed) adjective clauses.

Exercise: 1. Find the relative pronoun that begins the clause, and put a square around. 2. Highlight
the dependent adjective clause. 3. To check your answers, find the prepositional phrases, and
underline the subjects once and predicates twice in both clauses. 4. Draw an arrow from the
dependent adjective clause to the noun or pronoun that it modifies (describes).

Ex. Cartoon characters that were introduced (in the 1930s) are still popular today.

1. Cable television, which was originally used to bring in distant stations, provides many types of specialized

programming.

2. Juke boxes that used to play a song for a dime now cost much more.

3. Help came at a time when Stan needed it most.

4. John Chapman, who was nicknamed Johnny Appleseed, planted apple seeds in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.

5. Hummingbirds are tiny birds that are less than three inches long.

6. The Irish wolfhound, which is a hunting dog, is the tallest breed of the species.

7. The diver whose turn it was waved to the crowd.

8. Hurricanes are tropical cyclones that have wind speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.

9. Abraham Lincoln, who moved from Illinois to Washington, grew up in Kentucky.

10. The Arabian Nights is a collection of stories that have been passed down from one generation to the next.

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11. Is Natalie the keyboard player whom you asked to join the band?

12. I need to edit this report that I am writing.

13. Many students who bring their lunches to school buy milk in the cafeteria.

14. Athens, which is the capital of Greece, is believed to have been named after Athena.

15. Moshe, who has written music for other schools, wrote the music for our class play.

16. The cook on duty this evening, whoever that may be, will prepare an excellent meal.

17. The giant armadillo, which can grow to more than three feet long, lives in South America.

18. Susan B. Anthony, who was a schoolteacher, was active in the antislavery movement.

Exercise Two: (1) Write two complex sentences that have an adjective clause, (2) find two complex sentences
from a book that have an adjective clause, and (3) label these sentences in the same way as you did in the
sentences above.
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Copyright by Gencoe/McGraw-Hill