ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

Adjective clause → dependent clause that functions as an adjective; that is, it gives more
information about a noun or pronoun in the independent clause. The modified noun or pronoun is
called the antecedent.

The first thanksgiving feast in the United States, which took place in 1621, lasted three days.

Everyone who studied for the exam passed it easily.

The award that Mario received was for his volunteer work.

◙ An adjective clause begins with a relative pronoun or relative adverb.

PRONOUNS WHO, WHOM, WHOSE, THAT → REFER TO PEOPLE

WHICH, WHOSE, THAT → REFER TO ANIMALS AND THINGS

ADVERBS WHEN, WHERE → REFER TO A TIME OR A PLACE

1. POSITION IN A SENTENCE

A) To avoid confusion, an adjective clause should come right after its antecedent.

He left the gift in his friend's car that he had just bought.
He left the gift that he had just bought in his friend's car.

B) Occasionally, other words may come between the antecedent and the adjective clause.

Recently, a friend of mine at the University of Toronto, who is majoring in electrical engineering,
received a government grant to study airport runway lighting.

C) Sometimes an adjective clause modifies an entire sentence. In this case, it comes at the end of
the sentence. The relative pronoun is always which, and the clause is always non-defining.

The team won the championship, which shocked the opponents.

!!! The verb in an adjective clause agrees in number with its antecedent.

An employee who works part-time usually receives no benefits.

Employees who work part-time usually receive no benefits.

2. PUNCTUATION

Adjective clauses are either DEFINING [restrictive (necessary)] or NON-DEFINING [non-restrictive

unnecessary)].

• A defining clause is necessary because it identifies its antecedent for the reader. Do not use
commas with defining clauses.
• A non-defining clause is not necessary to identify its antecedent; it merely gives the reader
some extra information about it. Because you can omit a non-defining clause without loss of
meaning, separate it from the rest of the sentence with commas.
• The relative pronoun that is used in defining clauses only.

The professor who teaches my biology class won a Nobel Prize two years ago.
Professor Jones, who teaches my biology class, won a Nobel Prize two years ago.

1
3. KINDS OF ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

1. Relative pronouns as subjects.

For people
People save time and energy. They use microwave ovens.
Defining
People who use microwave ovens save time and energy.
who, that
People that use microwave ovens save time and energy. (informal)
Microwave cooking is not popular with most professional chefs. Professional chefs say
Non-defining that fast cooking does not allow flavours to bend.
who Microwave cooking is not popular with most professional chefs, who say that
fast cooking does not allow flavours to blend.
For animals and things

Defining Ovens are capable of cooking food quickly. They use microwave energy.
that Ovens that use microwave energy are capable of cooking foods quickly.

An electron tube in the oven produces microwaves. Microwave cook by agitating the
Non-defining water molecules in food.
which An electron tube in the oven produces microwaves, which cook by agitating the
water molecules in food.

2. Relative pronouns as objects

For people
The professor is chair of the English Department. You should see the professor.
Defining The professor whom you should see is chair of the English Department.
whom, that, Ø The professor that you should see is chair of the English Department. (informal)
The professor you should see is chair of the English Department.

Non-defining Dr. White is an ecologist. You met Dr. White in my office.

whom Dr. White, whom you met in my office, is an ecologist.

For animals and things

The book was written in German. The professor translated the book.
Defining
The book that the professor translated was written in German.
that, Ø
The book the professor translated was written in German.

Environmental science is one of the most popular courses in the college. Dr. White
Non-defining teaches environmental science.
which Environmental science, which Dr. White teaches, is one of the most popular
courses in the college.

2
 3. Possessive adjective clauses – the relative pronoun replaces a possessive word, e.g. our,
his, John’s.

For people, animals, and things: subject pattern

Opportunities are increasing for graduates. Graduates' degrees are in computer
Defining engineering.
whose Opportunities are increasing for graduates whose degrees are in computer
engineering.
Santa Claus is the symbol of Christmas gift-giving. His jolly figure appears everywhere
Non-defining during the Christmas season.
whose Santa Claus, whose jolly figure appears everywhere during the Christmas
season, is the symbol of Christmas gift-giving.
For people, animals, and things: object pattern

Defining The citizens protested. The government had confiscated their property.
whose The citizens whose property the government had confiscated protested.

Consumer Reports magazine publishes comparative evaluations of all kinds of products.

Non-defining Shoppers trust the magazine's research.
whose Consumer Reports, whose research shoppers trust, publishes comparative
evaluations of all kinds of products.

4. Adjective clauses of time and place.

Time
The lives of thousands of Germans suddenly changed on the night. East German soldiers
Defining began building the Berlin Wall during that night.
when The lives of thousands of Germans suddenly changed on the night when East
German soldiers began building the Berlin Wall.
On November 9, 1989, their lives changed again. The wall was torn down on November
Non-defining 9, 1989.
when On November 9, 1989, when the wall was torn down, their lives changed
again.
Place
The city suddenly divided. Citizens had lived, worked, and shopped relatively freely in
Defining this city.
where The city where citizens had lived, worked, and shopped relatively freely was
suddenly divided.
Berlin was suddenly divided. Citizens had lived, worked, and shopped relatively freely in
Non-defining Berlin.
where Berlin, where citizens had lived, worked, and shopped relatively freely, was
suddenly divided.

3
PRACTICE:

1/ Combine the two sentences in each pair to make a new complex sentence containing an adjective
clause in the subject pattern.

1. John Fish explained the complex structure of DNA. He is a research chemist.

John Fish. who is a research chemist. Explained the complex structure of DNA.

2. While he lectured, he showed us a slide. The slide diagrammed the double helix structure of DNA.

3. Words in English are often difficult for foreigners to pronounce. They begin with the consonants th.

4. Foreigners also have difficulty with English spelling. English spelling is not always consistent with its
pronunciation.

5. Anyone must have a logical mind. He or she wants to be a computer programmer.

6. Fans quickly lose interest in a sports team. The team loses game after game.

2/ Combine the two sentences in each pair to make a new sentence containing an adjective clause in the
object pattern.

1. Albert Einstein was a high school dropout. The world recognizes him as a genius.
2. As a young boy, Einstein had trouble in elementary and high school. He attended these schools in Germany.
3. He did poorly in certain subjects such as history and languages. He disliked them.
4. The only subjects were mathematics and physics. He enjoyed them.
5. He developed theories. We use his theories to help us understand the nature of the universe.
6. Einstein is best known for his general theory of relativity. He began to develop this theory while living in
Switzerland.

Albert Einstein, whom the world recognizes as a genius, was a high school dropout. …………………………

.................................................................................................................................................................................

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4
3/ Write your own sentences of the subject and object patterns.

a) I do not know anybody who ………………………………………………………………………...

b) I admire people who ………………………………………………………………………………..

c) The university subject that …………………………………………………………………………

d) The television program that …………………………………………………………………………

e) ………………………….. the homework that……………………………………………………….

f) ………………………….. someone whom ………………………………………………………….

g) ………………………….. is a subject that …………………………………………………………..

4/ Combine the two sentences in each pair to make a new sentence containing a possessive adjective
clause in the subject and object patterns.

1. Maya Angelou tells about her early life in her book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Her childhood was
difficult.
Maya Angelou, whose childhood was difficult. tells about her early life in her book. I Know Why the Caged
Bird Sings.

2. Securities Corporation's president is a man. His expertise2 on financial matters is well known.

3. First National Bank tries to attract female customers. The bank's president is a woman.

4.. A manufacturer can offer lower prices. Its costs are lower because of mass production.

5. Companies conduct market research to discover trends among consumers. Consumers' tastes change rapidly.

6. A manufacturer can offer lower prices. Its costs are lower because of mass production.

7. John is dating a girl. I keep forgetting the girl's name.

8. Any company has a better chance of success. Consumers easily recognize its logo or symbol.

5
 5/ Write a story about LEGO bricks using facts and figures provided below. Use different kings of
adjective clauses. You do not have to follow the order provided. Remember to add your own ideas,
remarks and the title. (200-250 words)

□ Denmark 1932

□ Ole Kirk Christiansen, carpenter from Billund, wood toys

□ name – Danish “leg” and “godt” → “play well”

□ motto “Only the best is good enough”

□ 1949 – beginning of production of now-famous interlocking

plastic bricks based on the design of Kiddicraft Self-Locking
Bricks released in the UK in 1947 – crucial moment in the
LEGO history

□ quality – only 18 bricks in every million fail to come up to the company’s standards

□ every minute 36.000 bricks are produced in Billund (the epicentre of LEGO) → 20 billion a year → 62
bricks for every person in the world

□ children spend 5 billion hours a year playing with LEGO

□ 400 billion LEGO blocks sold within 50 years

□ not only bricks → LEGO movies, video games, clothes, amusement parks (Denmark, England, Germany,
America)

□ LEGOLANDs – the first park in Billund

50 mln bricks
7 theme areas

UK – 55 million-brick LEGOLAND WINDSOR – “Britain’s most popular new attraction “

in 1996

□ LEGO versions of Mt Rushmore, Space Shuttle, Hamlet’s Elsinore Castle, Stonehenge, Windmills of
Holland, French Alps, Parisian Sacré-Coeur, Tower Bridge, changing of the LEGO Guard in front of a scale
model of Buckingham Palace

□ keeping with the times - LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Indiana Jones, LEGO Bob the Builder, LEGO Harry
Potter

□ Toy of the Century by the British Association of Toy Retailers

□ architects – miniature towns built entirely from LEGO

□ 40.000.000.000 – no. of bricks needed to build a tower reaching the Moon