The right way to Use Adjective Clauses, With Examples
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Adjective clauses, often known as relative clauses, are a kind of dependent clause that describes or modifies nouns, similar to particular person adjectives do. Like all clauses, adjective clauses include a topic and a verb. You’ll be able to determine adjective clauses as a result of they normally start with a relative pronoun like that, which, or who.
Adjective clauses are widespread in English, however their guidelines can get just a little tough. On this information, we clarify every little thing you should know to make use of adjective clauses appropriately and supply loads of adjective clause examples to indicate you ways they work.
Adjective clauses definition
All adjectives modify nouns. Typically adjectives are single phrases, like massive or stunning, however different occasions they’re clauses with their very own topic and verb. Clauses that modify nouns are referred to as adjective clauses.
[ADJECTIVE:] Jabari caught a gigantic fish!
[ADJECTIVE CLAUSE:] Jabari caught a fish, which was gigantic!
Usually referred to as relative clauses, adjective clauses are a kind of dependent clause that describes a noun, simply as a person adjective does. Whereas regular adjectives are normally only a single phrase or phrase, adjective clauses at all times include a topic and a verb and normally embody another phrases as nicely.
5 guidelines for creating an adjective clause: Examples
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Adjective clauses begin with a relative pronoun
The rationale adjective clauses are additionally referred to as relative clauses is as a result of they normally start with relative pronouns.
The brand new restaurant, which simply opened final month, has already closed down.
I took my accomplice, who has by no means seen snow, on a ski journey.
Relative pronouns have many makes use of; in the event you see one, it doesn’t at all times imply there’s an adjective clause. Nonetheless, seeing a relative pronoun in a sentence means there is perhaps 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 may also introduce adjective clauses, however these are a lot much less widespread than these within the checklist above.
We’ll take both a taxi or bus, whichever comes first.
Likewise, the relative pronoun why can sometimes be used for adjective clauses, though this utilization is uncommon.
The film Annabelle is the rationale why I removed my doll assortment.
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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 aren’t any totally different, that means each will need to have its personal topic and verb.
My coach didn’t imagine that I received my first wrestling match.
On this instance, the topic of the adjective clause is I and the verb is received. Discover how these are totally different from the topic and verb of the impartial clause, that are my coach (topic) and imagine (verb).
Remember the fact that typically the topic of an adjective clause is the relative pronoun. All pronouns are a kind of noun, to allow them to act as a topic.
I would like a roommate who is just not afraid of spiders.
3
Adjective clauses are related to impartial clauses
As a result of adjective clauses are a kind of dependent clause, they have to be related to an impartial clause to kind a whole sentence. In different phrases, you can’t use adjective clauses alone.
4
Adjective clauses relate to nouns from the impartial clause
Adjective clauses modify nouns, which implies they have to be associated to a different noun exterior the adjective clause. This noun might be a topic, direct object, prepositional object, or another function 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 item 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 normally come earlier than the noun they modify, adjective clauses at all times come after it. This makes it pretty simple to determine which noun they modify.
The wealthy girl whose home we have been at wasn’t even dwelling.
This implies which you could by no means begin a sentence with an adjective clause. Nonetheless, you can begin a sentence with a noun clause—which might additionally start with a relative pronoun—so watch out you don’t combine them up.
[NOUN CLAUSE:] Whoever eats probably the most sizzling canines will get the trophy.
[ADJECTIVE CLAUSE:] The winner, whoever eats probably the most sizzling canines, will get the trophy.
How are adjective clauses utilized in writing?
Adjective clauses are by no means actually important, however they’ll significantly enhance your writing by including extra particulars. They’re significantly helpful in specifying explicit 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 is just not particular sufficient. Jovan doesn’t need to see any horror film; he desires to see solely a particular sort of horror film. We use the adjective clause that wasn’t too scary to change the noun horror film and higher talk his desire.
Eradicating the relative pronoun in an adjective clause
Perceive adjective clauses to this point? That’s good, as a result of we now have one other element to incorporate.
Typically—however not at all times—you possibly can take away the relative pronoun in an adjective clause and the sentence remains 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 remains 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’t 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 item 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’t take away it.
There’s a fast strategy to bear 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 most likely the topic of the clause. Meaning we will’t take away it. If the phrase after the relative pronoun is a noun, then that noun might be the topic—which implies we will 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 beneficial if you wish to make your writing shorter and extra energetic. It’s additionally significantly helpful in the event 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 will 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 at all times hold 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 combined up. Each are phrase courses 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 referred to as adverb clauses) are additionally combined 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 at all times begin with a relative pronoun. Nonetheless, typically they do, in order that’s not a dependable methodology to tell apart them.
As an alternative, give attention to what the clauses describe. If it provides particulars to a noun, it’s an adjective clause. If it provides particulars to the verb, resembling 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 bunch of phrases that work collectively as a single adjective, similar to an adjective clause does. The distinction is that adjective clauses have a topic and a verb, however adjective phrases don’t.
[ADJECTIVE PHRASE:] Straightforward and high-paying jobs are laborious to seek out.
[ADJECTIVE CLAUSE:] Jobs which are simple and high-paying are laborious to seek out.
Adjective clause FAQs
What’s an adjective clause?
Adjective clauses, often known as relative clauses, are a kind of dependent clause that describes or modifies nouns, similar to particular person adjectives do. Like all clauses, adjective clauses include a topic and verb. You’ll be able to determine adjective clauses as a result of they normally 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 the event you say a film, that noun is simply too normal and will imply something. In the event you say a film that’s not too lengthy, the adjective clause that’s not 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 typically. Adjective clauses modify nouns, whereas adverbial clauses modify verbs, adjectives, and different adverbs.
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