Previous Skill <---- Skill 8 : Noun Clause Connector
An adjective clause describes a noun. Because the clause is an adjective, it is positioned directly after the noun that it describes.
A, This is the house
B, I want to buy it
If we combine them:
This is the house that/which I want to buy
In the first example, there are two clauses: this is the subject of the verb is, and I is the subject of the verb want. That/whichis the adjective clause connector that joins these two clauses, and the adjective clause that I want to buy describes the noun house.
A, The house is big
B. I want to buy it
If we combine:
The house that/which I want to buy is big
In the second example, there are also two clauses: house is the subject of the verb is, and I is the subject of the verb want. In this sentence also, that is the adjective clause connector that joins these two clauses, and the adjective clause that I want to buy describes the noun house.
The following example shows how these sentence patterns could be tested in the Structure section of the TOEFL test.
Example
The job _____ started yesterday was rather difficult.
(A) when
(B) was
(C) after
(D) that he
In this example, you should notice quickly that there are two clauses: job is the subject of the verb was, and the verb started needs a subject. Because there are two clauses, a connector is also needed. Answers (A) and (C) have connectors, but there are no subjects, so these answers are not correct. Answer (B) changes started into a passive verb; in this case the sentence would have one subject and two verbs, so answer (B) is not correct. The best answer to this question is answer (D). The correct sentence should say: The job that he started yesterday was rather difficult. In this sentence job is the subject of the verb was, he is the subject of the verb started, and the connector that joins these two clauses.
EXERCISE 9: Each of the following sentences contains more than one clause. Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle the connectors. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
1. I did not believe the story that he told me. (C)
Analysis:
First Clause : I did not believe the story
Second Clause : He told me
Adjective clause connector : that
2. Ms. Brown, whom did you recommend for the job, will start work tomorrow.(I)
Analysis:
First clause : Ms. Brown will start work tomorrow
Second clause : Did you recommend for the job (incorrect)
It should be you recommended for the job
Adjective clause connector : whom
The correct sentence is Ms. Brown, who you recommended for the job, will start work tomorrow.
3. The lecture notes which lent me were not clearly written.(I)
Analysis:
First clause : The lecture notes were not clearly written
Second clause : lent me (incorrect)
It should be I lent
Adjective clause connector : which
The correct sentence is the lecture notes which I lent were not clearly written
4. Sally has an appointment with the hairdresser whom you recommended. (C)
Analysis:
First clause : Sally has an appointment with the hairdresser
Second clause : you recommended
Adjective clause connector : whom
5. The phone number that you gave me.
Analysis:
First clause : The phone number (incorrect: no verb)
Second clause : you gave me
Adjective clause connector : that
The correct sentence is The phone number that you gave me IS wrong
6. She is able to solve all the problems which did she cause.(I)
Analysis:
First clause : She is able to solve the problems
Second clause : did she cause (incorrect)
It should be she caused
Adjective clause connector: She is able to solve all the problems which she caused
7. The day that she spent on the beach left her sunburned. (C)
Analysis:
First clause : The day left her sunburned
Second clause : she spend on the beach
Adjective clause connector : that
8. Next week I am going to visit my cousins, whom have not seen in several years.(I)
Analysis:
First clause : Next week I am going to visit my cousins
Second clause : have not seen in several years (incorrect)
It should be I have not seen in several years
Adjective clause connector : whom
The correct sentence is Next week I am going to visit my cousins, whom i have not seen in several years
9. Did you forget the promise whom you made? (C)
Analysis:
First clause : Did you forget the promise
second clause : you made?
Adjective clause connector : whom
10. The teacher whom the students like the most is their history teacher.
Analysis:
First clause : The teacher is their history teacher
Second clause : the students like the most
Adjective clause connector : whom
Next skill <------ skill 10 : Adjective clause connector/Subject
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FAQs
Adjective Clauses in Action
- Pizza, which most people love, is not very healthy.
- Those people whose names are on the list will go to camp.
- Grandpa remembers the old days when there was no television.
- Fruit that is grown organically is expensive.
- Students who work hard get good grades.
Adjective clauses are dependent clauses that give information about nouns. They allow you to combine two sentences into one by using relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, where, when, which, that, and why) as connectors.
How to identify an adjective clause? ›
As far as the structure of an adjective clause is concerned, here is what you need to know. It begins with a relative pronoun such as who, that, which, whose, etc. and comes immediately after the noun or noun phrase it is modifying. This is, in turn, followed by a noun or a verb.
What is an adjectival clause lesson note? ›
An adjective clause (also called relative clause) is a dependent clause that modifies a noun or pronoun. It tells which one or what kind. Adjective clauses almost always come right after the nouns they modify. There is the mountain that we are going to climb.
What are 9 types of adjectives with examples? ›
Examples: tall, old, larger, smaller, beautiful, etc. Adjectives can be broken into different categories including comparative, superlative, predicate, compound, possessive, demonstrative, proper, participial, limiting, descriptive, interrogative, attributive, and distributive adjectives.
What are 10 clauses examples? ›
Phrases and Clauses
| Phrases | Clauses |
|---|
| Best friend | Because he gave her a puppy |
| On the horizon | When the saints go marching in |
| After the devastation | I waited for him |
| Because of her glittering smile | He wants to become an engineer |
2 more rowsFor example, in the sentence, "The woman who is wearing a red dress is my mother," the clause "who is wearing a red dress" is an adjective clause because it provides additional information about the noun “woman.” In simple terms, you combine two sentences into one by using an adjective clause.
How to change sentence into adjective clause? ›
You do this to make your writing more interesting and more precise. To do this, you must: Remove a noun (or noun phrase) from one of the sentences. Replace it with a relative pronoun: who, which, that, whom, where, when, whose + noun.
Which sentence has an adjective clause? ›
A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. An adjective clause is used as an adjective in a sentence to modify a noun or pronoun (e.g., “The house that Lily bought is enormous”).
How to teach adjective clauses? ›
As a class, go through each sentence written up on the board, and underline the part of each sentence that is an adjective clause. Ensure that each student understands why the underlined sections are the adjective clauses. Discuss adjective pronouns, and ask students to identify these in the sentences on the board.
An adjective clause is a type of clause that gives information about the noun or pronoun that it modifies. An adjective clause will generally start off with words like who, whom, whose, when, where, which, that, and why.
What is an example of a defining adjective clause? ›
For example: The shirt that she gave me was too big. The shirt she gave me was too big. In the first example, please notice the defining adjective clause is 'that she gave me'.
What best defines an adjective clause? ›
An adjective clause is defined as a dependent subordinate clause that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun. A dependent or subordinate clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb but does not make sense by itself.
Whose adjective clause example? ›
'Whose' is a relative pronoun and it can be used in adjective clauses. As a relative pronoun, whose can be used for both people and things. Example: The man whose car crashed against a tree died soon after.
What is an adjectival clause also known as? ›
Adjective clauses, also known as adjectival clauses or relative clauses, are a type of dependent clause that describes or modifies nouns, just like individual adjectives do.
What is adjective 10 examples? ›
For example: quick, swift, hasty, fleet, etc. are all adjectives that mean 'very fast'. Likewise, contented, cheerful, merry, joyful, ecstatic, delighted, etc. are all words that describe different degrees of happiness.
What are the 10 examples of adverb clauses? ›
Examples of Adverb Clauses Used in the Beginning of a Sentence
- If you work hard, you will be able to score good grades.
- In case you like it, let us know.
- Although they drove really fast, they could not reach there in time.
- Before you make your decision, make sure you think this through.
- As soon as you meet her, call me.
Give some examples of clauses.
- As soon as I reach the office (dependent or subordinate clause)
- I did not bring my umbrella. ( independent clause)
- When the little boy saw his mom (dependent or subordinate clause)
- Collect your parcel from the courier office. ( ...
- Though we left home early (dependent or subordinate clause)
