ADJECTIVE
CLAUSES
1. Introduction
✓ Clause : A group of words containing a subject and a verb
✓ Independent Clause : A complete sentence which contains the main subject and verb
of a sentence
✓ Dependent Clause : Dependent clause is not a complete sentence. It must be connected
to an independent clause. (subordinate clauses)
✓ Adjective clause : Two sentences which are combined into one sentence. An adjective
clause is a dependent clause that modifies a noun. It gives information about a noun.
Adjective clause also called a ‘relative clause’.
✓ Adjective clause pronouns : An adjective clause uses pronouns to connect the
dependent clause to the independent clause. That are who, whom, whose, that, which,
that, and whose. Adjective clause pronouns are also called a ‘relative pronouns’.
Adjective clause
• First, it will contain a subject and verb.
• Next, it will begin with a relative pronoun[who, whom, whose, that, or which] or a
relative adverb [when, where, why, what or how].
• Finally, it will function as an adjective, answering the questions What kind? How
many? or Which one?
Relative Pronoun or Adverb + Subject + Verb
Example :
1. The rat was in the kitchen
2. Jono saw the rat.
It becomes : The rat that jono saw was in the kitchen
2. Function of adjective clauses
a. Adjective Clause Pronouns used as the Subject
• I thanked the man
• He helped me
• I thanked the man who helped me.
adjective clause
Who is the subject of the adjective clause.
• The hat is mine
• It is on the desk
• The hat which is on the desk is mine
adjective clause
Which is the subject of the adjective clause.
b. Adjective Clause Pronouns used as the Object of a Verb
• The man was Mr. Joe
• I saw him
a. The man who(m) I saw was Mr. Joe
b. The man that I saw was Mr. Joe
(that is the object of the adjective clause)
• The movie was very good
• We saw it last night.
a. The movie which we saw last night was very good
b. The movie that we saw last night was very good
c. Adjective Clause Pronouns used as the Object of a Preposition
• She is the woman
• I told you about her
a. (formal) She is the woman about who(m) I told you.
b. She is the woman who(m) I told you about.
• The music was good
• We listened to it last night
a. (formal) The music to which we listened last night was good.
b. The music which we listened to last night was good.
3. Relative Pronoun
a. Who : To change the subject of person (I, you, they, we, she, he, Budi (name)
Example:
• The nurse is beautiful
• She lives next to me.
The nurse who lives next to me is beautiful.
• The fishermen are friendly.
• They live on a boat.
The fishermen who live on a boat are friendly.
Note : Who as subject pronoun
b. Whom : To change the object (me, you, us, them, her, him, Ani).
Example:
• The doctor was very nice.
• I met him.
The doctor whom I met was very nice.
• The woman was feeding the pigeons.
• I saw her.
The woman whom I saw was feeding the pigeons.
c. Whose : To change the possessive (my, your, our, their, her, his, Anne's, its).
Example :
• There is a man.
• His car was stolen.
There is a man whose car was stolen.
(shows possession)
• I met the lady.
• Her husband is a lecturer.
I met the lady whose husband is a lecturer.
(shows possession)
d. Which : The use is same as “ who “. But, It used for the things or animals.
Example :
• The river is polluted.
• It flows through the town.
The river which flows through the town is polluted.
• The books were expensive.
• I bought them.
The books which I bought were expensive.
e. That : You can put “ that “ to change relative pronoun “ who” or “which”
according to the usual patterns of adjective clause
Example :
• The pill was bitter.
• I took it.
The pill that I took was bitter.
4. Relative Adverb
a. Where
Where replaces a place ( adverb of place ). (in + country, in + city, at + school,...).
Example :
• The house is very old.
• He lives there. (in that house)
The house where he lives is very old.
• The building is new.
• He works in the building.
The building where he works is new.
b. When
When’ replaces adverb of time (in + year, in + month, on + day,...).
Examples :
• The day is Monday.
• You went away.
The day when you went away is Monday.
• I will never forget the day.
• I graduated on that day.
I will never forget the day when I graduated
c. Why
To show the reason
Examples:
• Give me the reason.
• You study in English Online.
Give me the reason why you study in English Online.
• This is the reason.
• Japuak is dead.
This is the reason why Japuak is dead.
d. What
• We are talking about the case
• The case is very complicated
The case what we are talking about is very complicated.
• They want to design the course
• The course is very crucial.
The course what they want to design is very crucial.
5. Using Noun + of which
• We have an antique table.
• The top of it has jade inlay.
We have an antique table, the top of which has jade inlay.
• He bought a book.
• The title of the book is mouse deer story.
He bought a book, the title of which is mouse deer story.
6. Punctuating Adjective Clauses
• Do not use commas if the adjective clause is necessary to identify the noun it modifies
(essential)
◦ People who chew well may have healthy digestion.
◦ Junk food which people love is not healthy.
• Use commas if the adjective clause simply gives additional information and is not
necessary to identify the noun it modifies. (non-essential)
◦ Yulia, who works out three times a week, has a positive body image.
◦ The English book, which are lost, are really necessary.
7. Using expressions of quantity in adjective clause
Expression of quantity ‘with of’ : (Some of, many of, most of, none of, two of, both
of, half of, neither of, each of, all of, a few of, several of, little of, a number of, etc.)
Examples :
• He gave several reasons.
• Only a few of them were valid.
He gave several reasons, only a few of which were valid.
• The teacher discussed Jim.
• One of his problems was poor study habits.
The teacher discussed Jim, one of whose problems was poor study habits.
8. Using adjectives clauses to modify a pronoun
Adjective clauses can modify indefinite pronoun (somebody, everybody, etc).
Examples:
• There is someone (whom) I saw behind the stage
• Anybody who wants to come is welcome.
Adjective clause can modify the one or those
• Suin is the only one (that) I know in the student exchange.
• Mr. Jokowi is the only president who is brave enough to rise the fuel price while the
society refuse.
• Scholarships are available for those who need financial assistance.
9. Adjective clause in passive voice
A quick note about Active and Passive Voice of adjective :We use the passive voice
when we want to focus on the object (the person or thing receiving the action) and
NOT the agent (the person or thing doing the action).
• Active: A dog which bit the man is a mad dog.
(agent) (object)
• Passive: The man who was bitten by a dog is my neighbor.
(object) (be + past participle) (agent)
10. Reducing Adjective Clauses to Adjective Phrases
Adjective Phrase : An adjective phrase is a reduction of an adjective clause. If the
reduced clause is made from an active verb, start the adjective clause with the present participle,
but if it's made from a passive verb, begin the adjective clause with a past participle.
1) Active Voice Form
If an adjective clause is written in active voice, we omit relative pronoun and verb form
is written in present participle (-ing form).
Example:
• I know Mr. Maman who works in the bank.
• I know Mr. Maman working in the bank.
• If an adjective clause is written in perfect tense - have, has, had + V3 + ...,
we change to having + V3 +...
Example:
• I know Mr. Maman who has worked in the bank.
• I know Mr. Maman having worked in the bank.
2) Passive Voice Form
• If an adjective clause is written in passive voice, we omit relative pronoun and verb
form in changed to past participle (V3).
Example:
• The cars are made in Japan
• The cars consume a little petrol
The cars ( which are ) made in Japan consume a little petrol.
The cars made in Japan consume a little petrol.
• The letter sent to Singapore
• The letter is torn.
The letter (which is) sent to Singapore is torn.
The letter sent to Singapore is torn
a). Continuous Form
If an adjective clause is written in continuous form, we omit relative pronoun and to
be.
Example:
• I know Mr. Ratana who is being killed in the meeting. Change to :
• I know Mr. Ratana being killed in the meeting.
b). Future Form
If an adjective clause is written in future form, we omit relative pronoun, will and be is
changed to being.
Example:
• I know Mrs. Ratna who will be killed in the earthquake.
Change to
• I know Mrs. Ratna being killed in the earthquake.
c) Perfect Form
If an adjective clause is written in perfect tense -have, has, had + been + V3 +..., we
change to having + been + V3.
Example:
• I know Mrs. Dara who has been punished in the prison.
Change to
• I know Mrs. Dara having been punished in the prison.
•
Examples of Active Form
• I saw a man who was carrying an umbrella.
• I saw a man carrying an umbrella.
o The athlete who is carrying the ball is Miroslav Klose.
o The athlete carrying the ball is Miroslav Klose.
• The people who worked there got a raise last year.
• The people working there got a raise last year.
o She is the woman who supported me day and night.
o She is the woman supporting me day and night.
Passive Form
o The books which were published that year are expensive.
o The books published that year are expensive.
• The girl who was advised is my neighbor.
• The girl advised is my neighbor.
o The car which is being parked there is Ferrari.
o The car being parked there is Ferrari.
• The project which has been being worked for 3 months is very difficult.
• The project being worked for 3 months is very difficult.
