Adjective Clauses
An adjective clause can be used when a noun is
repeated in two clauses. The repetition may be direct (the same word) or
indirect (a pronoun). The
repeated word is replaced by an adjective pronoun (who,
whom, which, that, whose, where, when). The grammar
varies according to the grammatical function of the adjective
pronoun.
1a. A student
came to my office. The student needed
help on her paper.
(student = subject)
1b. A student who needed help on her
paper came
to my office.
2a. The man was nervous. I talked to
him. (him =
object)
2b. The man whom I talked to was
nervous. Or:
2c. The man
I talked to was nervous.
3a. I have a friend. My friend's
mother won the
lottery.
(my friend's = possessive)
3b. I have a friend whose mother
won the lottery.
4a. The restaurant burned down. Lupe
works
in a
restaurant. (in a restaurant = adverbial,
a preposition
+ noun)
4b. The restaurant where Lupe works
burned down.
4c. The restaurant that Lupe
works in burned down.
5a. My
car broke down. I just bought the car last
week.
(The reader already knows which car
I am
referring to.)
5b. My car, which I just bought last
week, broke
down.
(notice the commas)
Some common errors (*) with adjective clauses:
a. *The car
who I bought broke down.
b. *A student needed help came to my office.
c. *A student who she needed help came to
*my office.
d. *I have a friend that mother won the
lottery.
e. *The restaurant that Lupe works burned
down.
f. *I visited a new park where is
beautiful.
Unfortunately these examples only cover a few of the possibilities. To see more explanation and do some exercises, go to the links below:
Links:
The
basics:
studyzone/410/grammar/adj.htm
More
advanced: adjective
clauses
Variety:
more adjclause
Possessive:
adjclauses whose
Commas or no commas:
restrictive/nonrestrictive
09/26/2008