Adjective clauses, also called relative clauses, are a sort of dependent clause that describes or modifies nouns, identical to particular person adjectives do. Like all clauses, adjective clauses include a topic and a verb. You may establish adjective clauses as a result of they often start with a relative pronoun like that, which, or who.
Adjective clauses are widespread in English, however their guidelines can get a bit difficult. On this information, we clarify every part it’s worthwhile to know to make use of adjective clauses accurately and supply loads of adjective clause examples to point out you the way they work.
Adjective clauses definition
All adjectives modify nouns. Typically adjectives are single phrases, like huge or stunning, however different instances they’re clauses with their very own topic and verb. Clauses that modify nouns are known as adjective clauses.
[ADJECTIVE:] Jabari caught a gigantic fish!
[ADJECTIVE CLAUSE:] Jabari caught a fish, which was gigantic!
Usually known as relative clauses, adjective clauses are a sort of dependent clause that describes a noun, simply as a person adjective does. Whereas regular adjectives are often only a single phrase or phrase, adjective clauses all the time include a topic and a verb and often embody another phrases as nicely.
5 guidelines for creating an adjective clause: Examples
1
Adjective clauses begin with a relative pronoun
The rationale adjective clauses are additionally known as relative clauses is as a result of they often start with relative pronouns.
The brand new restaurant, which simply opened final month, has already closed down.
I took my associate, who has by no means seen snow, on a ski journey.
Relative pronouns have many makes use of; in case you see one, it doesn’t all the time imply there’s an adjective clause. Nevertheless, seeing a relative pronoun in a sentence means there could be an adjective clause.
Relative pronouns generally used for adjective clauses embody the next:
- that
- which
- who
- whom
- whose
- the place
- when
Moreover, the relative pronouns whoever, whomever, wherever, and whichever can even introduce adjective clauses, however these are a lot much less widespread than these within the checklist above.
We are going to take both a taxi or bus, whichever comes first.
Likewise, the relative pronoun why can often be used for adjective clauses, though this utilization is uncommon.
The film Annabelle is the explanation why I removed my doll assortment.
2
Adjective clauses want a topic and a verb
The primary trait of clauses is that they include each a topic and a verb. Adjective clauses are not any totally different, that means every one should have its personal topic and verb.
My coach didn’t consider that I gained my first wrestling match.
On this instance, the topic of the adjective clause is I and the verb is gained. Discover how these are totally different from the topic and verb of the unbiased clause, that are my coach (topic) and consider (verb).
Needless to say typically the topic of an adjective clause is the relative pronoun. All pronouns are a sort of noun, to allow them to act as a topic.
I want a roommate who shouldn’t be afraid of spiders.
3
Adjective clauses are related to unbiased clauses
As a result of adjective clauses are a sort of dependent clause, they have to be related to an unbiased clause to type an entire sentence. In different phrases, you can’t use adjective clauses alone.
4
Adjective clauses relate to nouns from the unbiased clause
Adjective clauses modify nouns, which implies they have to be associated to a different noun exterior the adjective clause. This noun may very well be a topic, direct object, prepositional object, or some other position for a noun.
She didn’t wake from the nap till 6 p.m., when the solar was setting.
On this adjective clause instance, the noun 6 p.m., which is the article of the preposition till, is modified by the adjective clause when the solar was setting.
5
Adjective clauses come after the noun
In contrast to regular adjectives that often come earlier than the noun they modify, adjective clauses all the time come after it. This makes it pretty simple to establish which noun they modify.
The wealthy girl whose home we had been at wasn’t even house.
This implies which you can by no means begin a sentence with an adjective clause. Nevertheless, you can begin a sentence with a noun clause—which may additionally start with a relative pronoun—so watch out you don’t combine them up.
[NOUN CLAUSE:] Whoever eats essentially the most sizzling canine will get the trophy.
[ADJECTIVE CLAUSE:] The winner, whoever eats essentially the most sizzling canine, will get the trophy.
How are adjective clauses utilized in writing?
Adjective clauses are by no means actually important, however they will significantly enhance your writing by including extra particulars. They’re significantly helpful in specifying specific or defining traits of the noun being described.
Jovan needed to see a horror film that wasn’t too scary.
On this adjective clause instance, the noun horror film shouldn’t be particular sufficient. Jovan doesn’t need to see any horror film; he needs to see solely a particular kind of horror film. We use the adjective clause that wasn’t too scary to change the noun horror film and higher talk his choice.
Eradicating the relative pronoun in an adjective clause
Perceive adjective clauses to date? That’s good, as a result of now we have one other element to incorporate.
Typically—however not all the time—you possibly can take away the relative pronoun in an adjective clause and the sentence continues to be right.
That is the guide that I used to be speaking about!
That is the guide I used to be speaking about!
Each of the above adjective clause examples are right, however one is lacking the relative pronoun that. In sure conditions, you possibly can eliminate the relative pronoun and the grammar continues to be right.
When is it OK to take away a relative pronoun? If the relative pronoun acts as the topic within the adjective clause, you can not take away it. In any other case, it’s okay to drop it.
I met somebody whom you dated in highschool.
On this adjective clause instance, the relative pronoun whom is used as the article of the verb dated. The topic of the adjective clause is you; the topic is the doer of the motion, and on this case the pronoun you is doing the courting. As a result of the relative pronoun whom is used as an object, you possibly can safely take away it.
Now let’s rephrase the adjective clause instance.
I met somebody who dated you in highschool.
On this new instance, the relative pronoun who is the topic. As a result of the topic is the doer of the motion, now who does the courting (who is a pronoun that represents the antecedent, somebody). As a result of the relative pronoun who acts as the topic, we can not take away it.
There’s a fast approach to keep in mind when it’s OK to drop the relative pronoun in an adjective clause, and it really works more often than not. If the relative pronoun is instantly adopted by a verb, it’s in all probability the topic of the clause. Which means we are able to’t take away it. If the phrase after the relative pronoun is a noun, then that noun might be the topic—which implies we are able to take away the relative pronoun.
In our first instance, the relative pronoun whom was adopted by the noun you. It was protected to take away whom as a result of you was the topic. In our second instance, the relative pronoun who was adopted by the verb dated. This time who was the topic, so we couldn’t take away it.
Eradicating the relative pronoun is helpful if you wish to make your writing shorter and extra energetic. It’s additionally significantly helpful in case you’re utilizing the phrase that as a demonstrative pronoun and a relative pronoun.
I hope that that was the final interruption.
On this instance, the primary that is used as a relative pronoun introducing the adjective clause. The second that is a demonstrative pronoun; it represents no matter “interruption” the speaker was speaking about. As a result of the second that is the topic of the adjective clause, we are able to safely take away the primary that because it’s not the topic.
I hope that that was the final interruption.
Eradicating the relative pronoun from an adjective clause is superior English. In the event you don’t really feel prepared or assured sufficient, don’t fear—you possibly can all the time maintain the relative pronoun within the sentence in case you are not sure about eradicating it.
Adjective clause vs. adverbial clause
Adjectives and adverbs are sometimes blended up. Each are phrase lessons that modify different phrases—the distinction is that adjectives modify nouns and adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and different adverbs.
As you possibly can think about, adjective clauses and adverbial clauses (additionally known as adverb clauses) are additionally blended up. The distinction is, once more, that adjective clauses modify nouns and adverbial clauses modify verbs, adjectives, and different adverbs.
How are you going to inform an adjective clause aside from an adverbial clause? Adverbial clauses don’t all the time begin with a relative pronoun. Nevertheless, typically they do, in order that’s not a dependable technique to tell apart them.
As a substitute, concentrate on what the clauses describe. If it provides particulars to a noun, it’s an adjective clause. If it provides particulars to the verb, equivalent to explaining when or the place the motion befell, it’s an adverbial clause.
[ADVERBIAL CLAUSE:] We vacationed the place it was sunny.
[ADJECTIVE CLAUSE:] We vacationed on the seashore, the place it was sunny.
Adjective clause vs. adjective phrase
An adjective phrase is a gaggle of phrases that work collectively as a single adjective, identical to an adjective clause does. The distinction is that adjective clauses have a topic and a verb, however adjective phrases don’t.
[ADJECTIVE PHRASE:] Simple and high-paying jobs are exhausting to seek out.
[ADJECTIVE CLAUSE:] Jobs which might be simple and high-paying are exhausting to seek out.
Adjective clause FAQs
What’s an adjective clause?
Adjective clauses, also called relative clauses, are a sort of dependent clause that describes or modifies nouns, identical to particular person adjectives do. Like all clauses, adjective clauses include a topic and verb. You may establish adjective clauses as a result of they often start with a relative pronoun like that, which, or who.
When is an adjective clause helpful?
Adjective clauses are most helpful when explaining the precise qualities of a noun. For instance, in case you say a film, that noun is simply too common and will imply something. In the event you say a film that isn’t too lengthy, the adjective clause that isn’t too lengthy makes it extra particular so you possibly can talk higher.
What’s the distinction between an adjective clause and an adverbial clause?
The distinction between adjective clauses and adverbial clauses is similar because the distinction between adjectives and adverbs basically. Adjective clauses modify nouns, whereas adverbial clauses modify verbs, adjectives, and different adverbs.