Adjective clauses

Presentation 6
 WHAT IS AN ADJECTIVECLAUSE?
• An adjective clause modifies a
noun.Examples:I saw the man who robbed the
bank.I saw the man= main clausewho robbed
the bank= adjective clause; modifies the
noun‘man.’An adjective clause closely follows
the noun it modifies.Examples:The bag that is
on the table is mine.√The bag is mine that is
on the table. X 2
 USING PRONOUNS IN ADJ.CLAUSES(AS
SUBJECTS)
• who, which, that is used as a subject in an
adjective clause.who = used for peoplewhich =
used for thingsthat = used for both people and
thingsExamples:They helped the woman. She
got hurt.They helped the woman who got
hurt.The books are on the table. They are
mine.The books which/that are on the table
are min
 TRY IT OUT!
• Join the two sentences. Use the second sentence as
anadjective clause.The student is from Tibet. She sits next
to me.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…….I saw the man. He locked the door.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
……I am using a bag. It is made of paper.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…….They were on the plane. It got hijacked.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
……I saw the boy. He jumped from the boat.
 USING PRONOUNS IN ADJ.CLAUSES (AS
OBJECTS)
• who, whom, which, that is used as an object
of the verb in anadjective clause.who(m)=
used for peoplewhich = used for thingsthat =
used for both people and thingsExamples:The
girl whom/who/that I saw in the park was
Alicia.The movie which/that we saw last night
was very boring
 POINTS TO NOTE
• In spoken English, who is more commonly used instead
of whom.
• Whom is generally used only in very formal English.
• An object pronoun is often omitted from an adjective
clause. Example: The man I saw yesterday was my
father’s colleague. (the man who/that=the man) The
movie we saw last night was very boring. (the movie
that/which=the movie)
• A subject pronoun cannot be omitted. Example: I saw
the man who robbed the store. (can’t omit who)
 TRY IT OUT!
• Combine the two sentences using the second
sentence as anadjective clause. Try all possible
patterns.
• 1. I like the woman. I met her at the party last night.
• 2. I like the bag. You bought it at the Christmas sale.
• 3. She liked the article. You wrote it in the travel
magazine.
• 4. We wanted to rent that house. It’s no longer
available.
 PRONOUNS IN ADJ. CLAUSES USED AS AN
OBJECT OF PREPOSITION
• Examples:
1. The music was good. We listened to it last
night.
The music to which we listened last night was
good.
2. She is the girl. I told you about her.
She is the girl about whom I told you.
 POINTS TO NOTE
• In very formal English, the preposition comes at the
beginning of the adjective clause, as see in the examples
just provided. Usually, however, in everyday usage, the
preposition comes after the subject and verb of the
adjective clauses. So, the same sentence can also be
structured in the following ways:
The music to which we listened last night was good.
a) The music which we listened to last night was good.
b) The music that we listened to last night was good.
c) The music we listened to last night was good
 TRY IT OUT
• Combine the two sentences using the second one as anadjective
clause.
• Try all possible patterns.
1. The meeting was interesting. Mrs Sen attended it.
2. I must thank my colleagues. I got a gift from them.
3. There is the man. I was telling you about him.
• Underline the adjective clause in each sentence.
1. I read about a man who kept snakes in his house.
2. The doctor whom I consulted gave me some very good advice.
3. Yesterday I met a friend I haven’t met for ten years.
4. I enjoyed the book you told me to read
 USING ‘WHOSE’ IN ADJECTIVECLAUSES

• Whose indicates possession and is used like other

possessive pronouns used as adjectives, like his,
her, its and their.
• Whose is always connected to a noun and is
placed at the beginning of an adjective clause.
Whose cannot be omitted. Examples:
1. I know the man whose house got broken into.
2. The police questioned the man whose son was
kidnapped
 POINTS TO NOTE
1.Don’t confuse whose with who’s [contracted form of who is or who
has]. They have the same pronunciation but are not the same things.
Examples:
• I know the boy whose father got killed in the Uhud war.
• That’s the boy from our swimming club who’s [who is] preparing for the
National Championship.
• That’s the girl who’s been [who has been] looking after Mrs Sen after
her husband was killed in the accident.
2. When has is a helping verb in the present perfect, as in the third
example above, it is usually contracted with who in speaking and informal
writing. But if has is a main verb, it is NOT contracted withWHO.Example:
I know a man who eats only nuts and raisins.
 USING ‘WHERE’ IN ADJECTIVECLAUSES
• Where is used in an adjective clause to modify a
place.Example:
The building where he lives is very old.
NOTE: If you use where, do not use a preposition. But if you
DO NOTuse where, you must use a preposition of
place.Examples:
The building where he lives is very old. (no preposition)The
building in which he lives is very old. (preposition: in)The
building which he lives in is very old. (preposition: in)The
building that he lives in is very old. (preposition: in)The
building he lives in is very old. (preposition: in)
 UAING ‘WHEN’ IN ADJECTIVECLAUSES
• When is used in an adjective clause to modify a noun of time (year, day, time, century
etc.) Example
I’ll never forget the day when I met you.
NOTE: Only if which is used to modify a noun of time, you can use a preposition of
time. Otherwise, do not use any preposition. Examples:
I’ll never forget the day on which I met you. (preposition: on)
I’ll never forget the day that I met you.
I’ll never forget the day I met you.
• TRY IT OUT!Combine the sentences using ‘when’ or ‘where’ to introducean adjective
clause.That’s the place. The accident occurred there.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….The house was
destroyed in the Tsunami. My grandparents livedthere.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..I clearly remember that
day. I first performed in front of thecamera on that day.
……………………………………………………………………………………………. 15
 TRY IT OUT!
• Combine the sentences using ‘when’ or ‘where’ to
introduce an adjective clause.
• That’s the place. The accident occurred there.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
….The house was destroyed in the Tsunami. My
grandparents lived there.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…..I clearly remember that day. I first performed in front
of the camera on that day.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
….
 PUNCTUATING ADJ. CLAUSES Rule
Rule:1.DO NOT USE COMMAS if the adjective clause is necessary to
identify the noun it modifies (restrictive clauses).
USE COMMAS if the adjective clause simply gives additional
information and is not necessary to identify the noun it modifies
(nonrestrictive clauses).Examples:
• The man who teaches music in our school is an excellent guitarist.
(No comma is used because we need the adjective clause to
identify the person we are talking about.)
• Mr Akli, who teaches music in our school, is an excellent guitarist.
(A comma is used because the adjective clause just gives extra
information; we already know the person we are talking about: Mr
Akli.)
PUNCTUATING ADJ. CLAUSES Rule
Rule2:A comma is generally used if an adjective clause modifies
a propernoun.Examples:
• India, which is home to diverse cultures, upholds the tenet of
‘live and let live’ as its fundamental tenet.
• Mrs Smith, who is now in her 90s, lives in an old age home.
Rule 3:If no commas are used, any possible pronouns may be
used in the adjective clause. But when commas are used, the
pronoun that cannot be used.Examples:
The lady you saw last night at the party is the CEO of our
company. Ms Sharma, whom you saw last night at the party, is
the CEO of our 17company.
 TRY IT OUT!
• Decide if the information in red italics necessary or additional.If
it is additional, add commas.
1. I live in a town which is situated on the banks of the Ciliwung.
2. The dessert that we had for dinner last night was very good.
3. Ramat Saleh who died of cancer recently was known as the first
superstar of Malaysian cinema.
4. Rice which is grown in many parts of India is a staple food for
many Indians.
5. My brother who lives in Texas is coming for a visit next month.
6. Toys which contain lead paint are unsafe for children
 TRY IT OUT!
• Read the sentences and choose the correct meaning (a or b) for each.
1. The teacher thanked the students who had given her some flowers
a. The flowers were from only some of the students.
b. The flowers were from all of the students.
2. The teacher thanked the students who had given her some flowers.
a. The flowers were from only some of the students.
b. The flowers were from all the students.
3. Natasha reached down and picked up the tattered book that was
lying upside down on the floor.
c. There was only one tattered book near Natasha.
d. b. There were more than one tattered books near Natasha.
 Home Assignment
• Do all the Slides that entitled “TRY
OUT”(4,7,10,15,18, and19) and submit before
next meeting.