Adjective Clause

 

Adjective Clause

An adjective clause is a multiword adjective that involves a subject and a verb.

When we think of an adjective, we normally think of a single word used before a noun to modify its meanings (e.g., tall tower, smelly kitten, argumentative associate). However, an adjective can also arrive in the form of an adjective clause. An adjective clause normally comes after the noun it changes and is made up of different words, which, like all clauses, will include a subject and a verb.

Adjective clause begins with relative pronouns, including:

• who
• whom
• whose
• that
• which
  
  

They may also begin with relative adverbs, such as:

• when
• where
• why
  
  

Adjective Clauses in Action

Adjective clauses don’t typically change the primary meaning of a sentence. Instead, they define the writer’s intention.

Here’s one thing to have an eye out for. When adjective clauses add more extra information to a sentence, they usually require to be fixed off with a comma rather than just description.

Here are some examples with the adjective clause indicated:

• Chocolates, which most people like, is not good for health.
• Grandmother cherished the old days when there was no television.
• Vegetables that are grown organically is expensive.
• Students who do study hard get good grades.

Reducing Adjective Clauses to Phrases

An adjective clause with a subject pronoun (which, that, or who) can also be compressed into an adjective phrase.

We can compress an adjective clause in two ways:

1. Eliminate the subject pronoun and verb.
2. Eliminate the subject pronoun and change the verb, so it ends in -ing.
   
   

Here are some examples of an adjective phrase:

• Adjective Clause: The books that were borrowed from the academy must be returned.
• Adjective Phrase: The books borrowed from the academy must be returned.
• Adjective Clause: The girl who is managing the party decoration is my best friend.
• Adjective Phrase: The girl managing the party decoration is my best friend.