1. Understanding Adjective Clauses
Lesson 14
Joseph C. Blumenthal

2. We have studied adverb clauses—clauses that are used as adverbs.
Now we turn our attention to the adjective clause.
As its name suggests, an adjective clause is a clause that is used as an _______.

3. We have studied adverb clauses—clauses that are used as adverbs.
Now we turn our attention to the adjective clause.
As its name suggests, an adjective clause is a clause that is used as an adjective.

4. I just read an interesting article.
An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun.
I just read an interesting article.
The word interesting is an adjective because it modifies the noun _______.

5. I just read an interesting article.
An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun.
I just read an interesting article.
The word interesting is an adjective because it modifies the noun article.

6. I just read an interesting article.
I just read an article which interested me.
The clause in sentence b does the same job as the adjective interesting in sentence a.
The clause which interested me is therefore called an _______ clause.

7. I just read an interesting article.
I just read an article which interested me.
The clause in sentence b does the same job as the adjective interesting in sentence a.
The clause which interested me is therefore called an adjective clause.

8. I just read an article which interested me.
Now look at just the adjective clause.
Does it have a subject and a verb? (yes, no)

9. I just read an article which interested me.
Now look at just the adjective clause.
Does it have a subject and a verb? (yes, no)

10. I just read an article which interested me.
Although the adjective clauses has a subject and a verb, does it make sense by itself apart from the sentence? (yes, no)

11. I just read an article which interested me.
Although the adjective clauses has a subject and a verb, does it make sense by itself apart from the sentence? (yes, no)

12. A tree surgeon removed the dead branches.
A tree surgeon removed the branches that were dead.
Both the adjective dead in sentence a and the adjective clause that were dead in a sentence b modify the noun ________.

13. A tree surgeon removed the dead branches.
A tree surgeon removed the branches that were dead.
Both the adjective dead in sentence a and the adjective clause that were dead in a sentence b modify the noun branches.

14. A tree surgeon removed the dead branches.
A tree surgeon removed the branches that were dead.
The adjective dead in sentence a comes before the noun it modifies.
The adjective clause that were dead comes (before, after) the noun it modifies.

15. A tree surgeon removed the dead branches.
A tree surgeon removed the branches that were dead.
The adjective dead in sentence a comes before the noun it modifies.
The adjective clause that were dead comes (before, after) the noun it modifies.

16. It is easy to see why an adjective clause must come after the word it modifies.
A tree surgeon removed the branches that were dead.
If we put the adjective clause before the noun branches, which it modifies, the sentence would be very (smooth, clumsy).

17. It is easy to see why an adjective clause must come after the word it modifies.
A tree surgeon removed the branches that were dead.
If we put the adjective clause before the noun branches, which it modifies, the sentence would be very (smooth, clumsy).

18. In a previous lesson, you saw that an adverb clause can often be shifted from one position to another.
I watched television after I studied.
Can the adverb clause after I studied be moved to another position? (yes, no)

19. In a previous lesson, you saw that an adverb clause can often be shifted from one position to another.
I watched television after I studied.
Can the adverb clause after I studied be moved to another position? (yes, no)

20. The teacher scolded the little girl who wandered away from the group.
Can the adverb clause who wandered away be moved to another position? (yes, no)

21. The teacher scolded the little girl who wandered away from the group.
Can the adverb clause who wandered away be moved to another position? (yes, no)

22. An adjective clause must ALWAYS follow the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Can the adjective clause ever come at the very beginning of a sentence? (yes, no)

23. An adjective clause must ALWAYS follow the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Can the adjective clause ever come at the very beginning of a sentence? (yes, no)

24. The chair collapsed when I sat down.
I sat on the chair which was broken.
In which sentence can the clause not be moved to another position? (a, b)

25. The chair collapsed when I sat down.
I sat on the chair which was broken.
In which sentence can the clause not be moved to another position? (a, b)

26. The chair collapsed when I sat down.
I sat on the chair which was broken.
Which sentence contains an adjective clause? (a, b)

27. The chair collapsed when I sat down.
I sat on the chair which was broken.
Which sentence contains an adjective clause? (a, b)

28. The bank discharged the employee who gambled.
The bank discharged the employee because he gambled.
In one sentence the clause can be shifted; in the other, it can’t.
Which sentence contains the adjective clause? (a, b)

29. The bank discharged the employee who gambled.
The bank discharged the employee because he gambled.
In one sentence the clause can be shifted; in the other, it can’t.
Which sentence contains the adjective clause? (a, b)

30. who (whose, whom), which, that
There are only a small number of clause signals that generally start adjective clauses.
who (whose, whom), which, that
These adjective clause signals are (the same as, different from) those that start adverb clauses.

31. who (whose, whom), which, that
There are only a small number of clause signals that generally start adjective clauses.
who (whose, whom), which, that
These adjective clause signals are (the same as, different from) those that start adverb clauses.

32. while, when, as if, because, unless, although, etc.
who, (whose, whom), which, that
Which group contains the clause signals that are used to start adjective clauses? (a, b)

33. while, when, as if, because, unless, although, etc.
who, (whose, whom), which, that
Which group contains the clause signals that are used to start adjective clauses? (a, b)

34. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The adjective clause who raises tropical fish modifies the noun _____.

35. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The adjective clause who raises tropical fish modifies the noun friend.

36. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
An adjective clause signal is nearly always a pronoun. This pronoun stands for the noun that the entire clause modifies.
In the above sentence, the pronoun who stands for the noun _____.

37. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
An adjective clause signal is nearly always a pronoun. This pronoun stands for the noun that the entire clause modifies.
In the above sentence, the pronoun who stands for the noun friend.

38. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The noun that the adjective clause modifies and the pronoun who stands for are (the same word, different words).

39. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The noun that the adjective clause modifies and the pronoun who stands for are (the same word, different words).

40. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The pronouns that start adjective clauses are called relative pronouns because they relate (or connect) the adjective clause to the sentence.
The clause signal who in the above sentence is called a ______ pronoun.

41. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The pronouns that start adjective clauses are called relative pronouns because they relate (or connect) the adjective clause to the sentence.
The clause signal who in the above sentence is called a relative pronoun.

42. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The relative pronoun who starts the adjective clause. It also stands for the noun _____, which the clause modifies.

43. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
The relative pronoun who starts the adjective clause. It also stands for the noun friend, which the clause modifies.

44. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
In the above sentence the relative pronoun who is the subject of the verb _____.

45. I have a friend who raises tropical fish.
In the above sentence the relative pronoun who is the subject of the verb raises.

46. The student…essay wins receives a scholarship.
Let’s take another look at the adjective clause signals.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS: who, (whose, whom), which, that
The student…essay wins receives a scholarship.
Which relative pronoun would be appropriate in this sentence? _____

47. The student…essay wins receives a scholarship.
Let’s take another look at the adjective clause signals.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS: who, (whose, whom), which, that
The student…essay wins receives a scholarship.
Which relative pronoun would be appropriate in this sentence? whose

48. The woman whose car we bumped was very angry.
The adjective clause starts with the relative pronoun whose and ends with the word _____.

49. The woman whose car we bumped was very angry.
The adjective clause starts with the relative pronoun whose and ends with the word bumped.

50. The woman whose car we bumped was very angry.
The woman was very angry.
When we omit the adjective clause, do we have a complete sentence remaining? (yes, no)

51. The woman whose car we bumped was very angry.
The woman was very angry.
When we omit the adjective clause, do we have a complete sentence remaining? (yes, no)

52. A boy who had never fished before caught the most fish.
In this sentence the adjective clause starts with the relative pronoun ___ and ends with the word _____.

53. A boy who had never fished before caught the most fish.
In this sentence the adjective clause starts with the relative pronoun who and ends with the word before.

54. A boy who had never fished before caught the most fish.
A boy caught the most fish.
When we omit the adjective clause, do we have a complete sentence remaining? (yes, no)

55. A boy who had never fished before caught the most fish.
A boy caught the most fish.
When we omit the adjective clause, do we have a complete sentence remaining? (yes, no)

56. If a complete sentence does not remain after we omit the adjective clause, we have not selected the clause correctly.
The rope (which controls the curtain broke).
The rope (which controls the curtain) broke.
The clause is correctly selected in sentence (a, b).

57. If a complete sentence does not remain after we omit the adjective clause, we have not selected the clause correctly.
The rope (which controls the curtain broke).
The rope (which controls the curtain) broke.
The clause is correctly selected in sentence (a, b).

58. If a complete sentence does not remain after we omit the adjective clause, we have not selected the clause correctly.
The blood (which flows from a wound) washes away the germs.
The blood (which flows from) a wound washes away the germs.
The clause is correctly selected in sentence (a, b).

59. If a complete sentence does not remain after we omit the adjective clause, we have not selected the clause correctly.
The blood (which flows from a wound) washes away the germs.
The blood (which flows from) a wound washes away the germs.
The clause is correctly selected in sentence (a, b).

60. Write the following answers on your own sheet of paper.

61. The clause signal where can start either an adverb clause or an adjective clause.
If the clause modifies a verb, it is considered an adverb clause.
1. If the clause modifies a noun or pronoun, it is considered an ________ clause.

62. I eat at the store where I work.
I eat where I work.
In one sentence the clause is an adverb clause because it modifies a verb; in the other, it is an adjective clause because it modifies a noun.
2. The adjective clause is in sentence (a, b).

63. I eat at the store where I work.
3. The clause where I work is an adjective clause because it modifies the noun __________.

64. We camped where there were few trees.
We camped on a field where there were few trees.
4. The adjective clause is in sentence (a, b).

65. Although the clause signal when generally starts adverb clauses, it can also start an adjective clause.
My friend telephoned when I was very busy.
My friend telephoned on a day when I was very busy.
5. The clause that is used as an adjective clause because it modifies a noun is in sentence (a, b).

66. A man that looked like a reporter asked me several questions.
The adjective clause starts with the word 6.________ and ends with the word 7.________

67. A man that looked like a reporter asked me several questions.
8. Write the sentence that remains after you remove the clause.

68. The world owes its scientific process to men and women who are driven by an insatiable curiosity.
The adjective clause starts with the word 9._________ and ends with the word 10._________.

69. The statistics which the speaker quoted were out of date.
The adjective clause starts with the word 11.__________ and ends with the word 12.__________.

70. This soap is for people whose skin is sensitive to ordinary soap.
The adjective clause starts with the word 13.__________ and ends with the word 14.__________.

71. The car which won the first automobile race traveled at five miles per hour.
The adjective clause starts with the word 15.__________ and ends with the word 16.__________.

72. You are done!!!