Adjective Clause

Before understanding the adjective clause further, let's see what clause is?

What is clause?

Clause is a group of words which contain subject and a verb. In English grammar, the clause is divided into two. Independent and dependent clause.

Independent clause is a main clause which can stand alone. This is a complete sentence. A sentence which has a subject and a verb. It is also called a main clause.

Dependent clause is a clause which cannot stand alone as it is not a complete sentence. This clause has to be connected with independent clause. Look at the example below!

1) Adib saw a man. 

(This is independent clause, a complete sentence, can stand alone)

2) Who studies in University of Indonesia. 

(This is dependent clause, cannot stand alone)

The sentence number (2) can stand alone if it is accompanied by sentence number (1). 

So, it looks like this:

Adib saw a man who studies in University of Indonesia.

What is Adjective Clause?

Adjective clause consists of two words, adjective and clause. 

Adjective is a term in English grammar that functions to modify, describe and give information about the noun. 

Adjective clause is a dependent clause that describes, gives information about the noun. 

Adjective comes before or in front of a noun, adjective clause follows a noun. Look at the examples below:

1) My mother saw a beautiful kid. 

    (The word beautiful is an adjective describes the kid)

2) My mother saw a kid who is beautiful.

    (Adjective clause *who is beautiful* describes the word *kid*)

Using who and whom in Adjective clause.

We can use who to refer the subject pronoun. 

We can use whom to refer the object pronoun.

For example:

Let's combine the two sentences below by using who.

1) The teacher is smart. He teaches us in laboratory.

2) The boy is handsome. He lives next to me.

The adjective clause structure of the above sentences as follows.

The teacher who teaches us in laboratory is smart. 

The boy who lives next to me is handsome. 

We use who to refer the subject pronoun he (the teacher & the boy). 

We can combine the sentence below by using whom.

1) The boy was handsome. I met him yesterday.

The boy whom i met yesterday was handsome.

We use whom to replace the object pronoun (him). Whom comes at the beginning of an adjective clause. 

Using that in Adjective clause

In addition to who, we can use that as the subject of the adjective clause. Look at the example below!

1) The boy is handsome. He lives next to me.  
    (The boy that lives next to me is handsome).

In the case of the sentence above, we cannot omit who/that.

Incorrect : The boy lives next to me is handsome.

Correct    : The boy who/that lives next to me is handsome.

Moreover, that can be used as the object in adjective clause. Look at the example below:

The boy was handsome. I met him yesterday. 

(The boy that i met was handsome)

If it is object pronoun, we can omit whom and that. So the sentence is like this:

The boy .... i met was handsome.

Using which in Adjective clause

Which is used to refer things. For example:

The plane is from USA. Flies from London to Jakarta.

The plane which flies from London to Jakarta is from USA. 

Which can be omitted. 

(The plane (which) flies from London to Jakarta is from USA). 

Using preposition in Adjective clause.

We can place preposition in adjective clause. The words who, which and that can be used as the object of a preposition in adjective clause. For example:

1) The teacher was friendly. I talked to him yesterday.

             (The teacher whom/that i talked to yesterday was friendly)

2) The boss is generous. I thanked to him.

             (The boss whom/that i thanked to was generous)

3) The chair is wet. I sit on it.

             (The chair which I sit on is wet)

We can place preposition at the beginning of an adjective clause like sentence number 1,2 and 3. (talked to, thanked to, sit on)

We cannot omit the pronoun if the preposition is followed by whom or which. 

Using Whose in Adjective clause

Whose refers to something possessed by someone (shows possession). Look at the example below:

The boy cried under the tree. His bicycle is broken. 

             (The boy whose bicycle is broken cried under the tree)

Whose refers to his bicycle. 

Conclusion:

Who and whom are used to refer people.
That is used to refer people and things.
Which is used to refer things.
Whose is refer to possession. 

Reference

Azar, S.A. (2003). Fundamentals of English Grammar. USA. Longman. 

Adjective Clause Exercise Multiple Choices

Select the best answer for each question below!