1. Subject Adjective Clauses & Adjective Phrases
Q:Skills Reading & Writing
Unit 1 Grammar Point

2. Let’s keep this really simple!
There are different types of clauses in English grammar with different structures and rules.
Here, we are ONLY looking at one type.
SUBJECT ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

3. Why are they important?
These clauses allow us to give additional information about something or someone (i.e. a noun or noun phrase) without having to make a whole new sentence.
They modify or describe that noun or noun phrase which is why they are called adjective clauses.

4. For example…
The second sentence gives us additional information about the noun blog. In other words, it describes what kind of blog is being read.
However, this sounds awkward and repetitive. Here, we can use a relative clause to combine these sentences to make one fluent idea.
I read a blog. The blog is about how foreigners experience Saudi Arabia.

5. I read a blog that is about how foreigners experience Saudi Arabia.
Combine the two sentences by inserting a relative pronoun noun (that, which or who) after the noun that is being described. [Note: who is used only for people] So…
I read a blog. The blog is about how foreigners experience Saudi Arabia.
I read a blog that is about how foreigners experience Saudi Arabia.

6. Let’s make some subject adjective clauses!
I have several friends are living in the KSA.
. These friends
who
Subject adjective clause
They use Facebook is a social networking site.
.Facebook
which
Subject adjective clause
I know a journalist writes for the Arab News.
. He
who
Subject adjective clause

7. Let’s identify some adjective clauses in more complex sentences!

8. Students do better on their exams.
who study the vocabulary words at home
She writes great articles
which are posted online regularly.
Many of the blogs are written by ordinary citizens and not trained journalists.
which are gaining in popularity

9. So to recap…
We have seen that subject adjective clauses can make your writing more fluent by combining ideas into one sentence. BUT! If you use them too much, they can make your writing sound wordy and repetitive.

10. This is where Adjective Phrases come in handy.
You can change adjective clauses to adjective phrases.
This will shorten the sentence and add variety to your writing.

11. Continuous verb (phrase)
If the adjective clause takes the form of ⁺ ⁺ I have several friends living in the KSA. Form the adjective phrase by deleting the relative pronoun & the to be verb
Continuous verb (phrase) or
Passive verb (phrase)
Prepositional phrase
Relative pronoun
(who , which or that)
verb to be
who are
Relative pronoun
To be
Continuous verb phrase
Adjective phrase

12. If the adjective clause takes the form of ⁺
Students regularly at home do better on their exams.
Form the adjective phrase by deleting the relative pronoun and changing the verb to its –ing form
Relative pronoun
(who , which or that)
Verb in simple present or simple past form
who
study
ing
Simple present verb
-ing form of verb
Relative pronoun

13. To Sum Up…
Where possible use BOTH subject adjective clauses and adjective phrases to express your ideas more fluently and add variety to your writing. For further practice in forming these structures please refer to Exercises A & B on pgs

14. References
Caplan, N.A., Douglas, S.C. (2011). Q Skills for success: Reading and writing 5. Oxford :Oxford University Press. Relative Clauses. (n.d). In English Grammar Online 4 U. Retrieved from