This document discusses adjective clauses, also known as relative clauses. It provides examples of essential and non-essential clauses. Essential clauses are not separated by commas from the noun they modify, as they provide necessary identifying information. Non-essential clauses are separated by commas, as the information they provide is extra. The document also distinguishes between subject and object clauses, and gives examples of each.

1. By Holly Cin
5CDE/Summer 2013

4.  This information identifies the noun and is
therefore necessary.
 Example: The teacher who teaches 5E is an
excellent teacher.
 “who teaches 5E” is essential information;
otherwise you don’t know which teacher we are
referring to and themeaningisn’t clear.
* Essential clauses are attached to the antecedent
(noun) WITHOUT COMMAS to separate them.

5.  This information does not identify the noun and is
therefore EXTRA. You can remove this adjective
clause and the sentence will still be clear.
 Example: Holly Cin, who teaches 5E, is an excellent
teacher.
 “who teaches 5E” is extra information here since
you already know who Holly Cin is; she has been
identified by name. Therefore, any information you
give me about Holly Cin is now EXTRA.
*NON-Essential clauses are separated from their
antecedents (nouns) WITH COMMAS.

6. TWO RULES to know:
1. When commas are used, the pronoun THAT may not be
used (only WHO, WHOM, WHICH, WHOSE, WHERE, and WHEN
may be used)
2. Object pronouns cannot be omitted.
 Example: My mother, whom I owe my life to, is a remarkable
woman.
 Incorrect: My mother, THAT I owe my life to, is a remarkable
woman.
 Incorrect: My mother, I owe my life to, is a remarkable
woman.

7.  Proper names are always followed by non-
essential clauses.
Example:
Texas, which is the largest state in the
continental U.S., is famous for oil, cowboys, and
the University of Houston.
 Since we already know what Texas is, any
information that follows it is NON-essential, and
therefore, separated by commas.
 We could remove the non-essential clause and
still understand the sentence 100%.

8.  Proper names are always followed by non-
essential clauses.
 Ex. Greg Urquhart, who has been teaching at the
LCC since time immemorial, has a great sense of
humor.
 Since we already know who Greg Urquhart is, any
information that follows is NON-essential, and
therefore, separated by commas.
 We could remove the non-essential clause and
still understand the sentence 100%.

9.  Once the person or thing has been identified,
all information which follows in an adjective
clause becomes non-essential.
 Ex. We had rice and beans for dinner last
night. The rice, which was prepared with
onions and garlic, tasted delicious.
 In the above example, you know which rice
we’re talking about in the second sentence
because it has been identified in the first
sentence.

10.  Compare the meaning of the following two
sentences. In one case, the information in the
adjective clause is essential to the meaning; in
the other, it is extra.
 1. We took some children on a picnic. The
children, who wanted to play soccer, ran to an
open field as soon as we arrived at the park.
 2. We took some children on a picnic. The
children who wanted to play soccer ran to an
open field as soon as we arrived at the park. The
others played baseball.

11.  Compare the meaning of the following two
sentences. In one case, the information in the
adjective clause is essential to the meaning; in
the other, it is extra.
 1. I met with some students after class
yesterday. The students, who were from 5E, had
prepared lots of good questions for me to
answer.
 2. I met with some students after class
yesterday. The students who were from 5E had
lots of good questions. The students who were
from 5F had nothing at all to say.

12. 1. I met with some students after class yesterday. The
students, who were from 5E, had prepared lots of
good questions for me to answer.
In this case, all of the students were from 5E so the
adjective clause “who were from 5E” was not
essential to identify them.
2. I met with some students after class yesterday. The
students who were from 5E had lots of good
questions. The students who were from 5F had
nothing at all to say.
◦ In this case, some of the students were from 5F and some
were from 5E so the adjective clause “who were from 5E”
was essential to identify them.

13. Adjective Clauses
Summer 2013
Holly Cin

14. Adjective Clauses
(also known as Relative Clauses)
 Adjective clauses function just like adjectives. They give extra information about nouns.
 Adjective clauses are dependent clauses. They depend on the nouns which they modify.
 Adjective clauses should be placed as close as possible to the nouns which they modify.
 The relative clause connects with the main clause by using relative pronouns: who, whom, whose,
which, whomever, and that. The relative pronouns are substitutes for the original noun or pronoun.
Example: The woman who lives next door is coming for dinner tonight.
This can be divided into two sentences:
The woman is coming for dinner tonight. She lives next door.
Example: The book which is on the table is my grammar book.
This can be divided into two sentences:
The book is my grammar book. It is on the table.

15. There are two types of adjective clauses:
Subject clauses and object clauses
Subject clause:
Example 1:
The woman who lives next door is coming to dinner tonight.
The woman is coming to dinner tonight. She lives next door.
Because the woman and “she” are the same person, this is a subject clause.
Example 2:
The book which is on the table is my grammar book.
The book is my grammar book. It is on the table.
Because the book and “it” are the same thing, this is a subject clause.

16. There are two types of adjective clauses:
Subject clauses and object clauses
Object clause:
Example 1:
The man who I saw last night at the theater was Mr. Jones.
1. The man was Mr. Jones.
2. I saw him last night at the theater.
In sentence 1, the man is the subject. In sentence 2, I am the subject and the man (him) is
the object. This makes this clause an object relative clause.
Example 2:
The movie which we saw last week wasn’t very good.
1. The movie wasn’t very good.
2. We saw it.
In sentence 1, the movie is the subject. In sentence 2, we is the subject and it is the object.
This makes the clause an object relative clause.