Clauses: Adjective Clauses: Paint by Numbers

Adjective Clauses: Paint by Numbers

Here's another type of clause: the adjective clause. Like adverb clauses, adjective clauses are of the dependent variety.

Adjective clauses describe nouns and pronouns. They add detail to sentences by functioning as adjectives. Obviously, you can tell an adjective clause by its function, but there's also another little clue: Most adjective clauses start with the pronouns who, whom, whose, which, that, when, or where. Adjective clauses that begin with one of the relative pronouns are also called relative clauses.

Here are some other pronouns that can start an adjective clause:

• Whoever
• Whomever
• Whichever
• What
• Whatever
• Why

You can identify an adjective clause because it answers the adjective questions: €œWhich one?€ or €œWhat kind?€

Here are some examples of adjective clauses:

• The only one of the seven dwarfs who does not have a beard is Dopey.

• The adjective clause €œwho does not have a beard€ describes the noun €œone.€

• I found a quiet, secluded place where we can meet.

• The adjective clause €œwhere we can meet€ describes the noun €œplace.€

• It never rains on days when my garden needs watering.

• The adjective clause €œwhen my garden needs watering€ describes the noun €œdays.€

Relative Clauses: It's All Relative

Adjective clauses that begin with one of the relative pronouns are also called relative clauses. Here are the relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, and that.

As you learned in Parts of Speech, relative pronouns connect (or €œrelate€€”get it?) an adjective clause to the word the clause describes. In addition, relative pronouns function within the clause as an adjective, subject, direct object, or object of a preposition. For instance:

1. Relative pronoun as an adjective:
   • The boy whose book I borrowed is very hunky.
   • The relative clause €œwhose book I borrowed€ describes the noun €œboy.€
2. Relative pronoun as a subject:
   • The bird that is soaring in the sky is a seagull.
   • The relative clause €œthat is soaring in the sky€ functions as a subject.
3. Relative pronoun as a direct object:
   • The book that you panned is really very good.
   • The relative clause €œthat you panned€ is the direct object of the subject €œyou.€
4. Relative pronoun as the object of a preposition:
   • The woman of whom you spoke is my boss.
   • The relative clause €œwhom you spoke€ is the object of the preposition €œof.€

Clauses Make the Sentence

As with adverb clauses, you can use adjective clauses to link ideas, combine information, and create more effective sentences. In addition to adding description to sentences, adjective clauses allow you to create relationships between ideas. Here's an example:

Two sentences: €œRock Around the Clock€ was released by Bill Haley and the Comets in 1955. €œRock Around the Clock€ is often called the first big rock-and-roll hit.

One sentence: €œRock Around the Clock,€ which is often called the first big rock-and-roll hit, was released by Bill Haley and the Comets in 1955.

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grammar and Style © 2003 by Laurie E. Rozakis, Ph.D.. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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