Relative Adjectives

Relative Clauses Adjective clauses are dependent clauses used to modify nouns or pronouns. An adjective clause usually immediately follows the noun or pronoun it modifies. A common type of adjective clause is the relative clause. A relative clause is an adjective clause introduced by relative pronouns: that, who, and which. Examples: * I want to cook the rooster that interrupts my sleep every morning. * The woman who crossed the street robbed a bank a few minutes ago. * I like the song which you played on the piano. These relative pronouns may function both as subjects of the clause or objects of the verb or the preposition in the clause: 1. As a subject Example: * I would like to visit the old monastary which became a museum last year. S V 2. As an object of the verb or preposition Examples: * She would like to inquire about the rooms that we advertised in our website. O S V * The daughter who they are so proud of once again won a gold medal in a contest. O S Prep Note: When that, which, and who are objects of the verb/ preposition, they may be ommitted. Examples: * She would like to inquire about the rooms that we advertised in our website. = She would like to inquire about the rooms we adverstised in our website. * The daughter who they are so proud of once again won a gold medal in a contest. = The daughter they are so roud of once again won a gold medal in a contest. Other relative pronouns that may be used: whom, whose. Whom can replace who if it is the object of the verb/ preposition while whose is used for possessive clauses. Examples: * The daughter who they are so proud of once again a gold medal in a contest. = The daughter whom they are so proud of once again a gold medal in a contest. * The farmer filed for bankruptcy. His windmill was destroyed by a tornado. ajvilches. 6/ 2009 http://www.mhhe.com/mayfieldpub/tsw/cl-adj.htm http://www.pitt.edu/~atteberr/comp/0150/grammar/adjclauses.html http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/clauses.htm

= The farmer whose windmill was destroyed by a tornado filed for bankruptcy. Note: In written English, it is more acceptable to use whom, not who, when who is the object of the verb/ preposition. A special kind of adjective clause begins with a relative adverb: where, when, and why. Nonetheless, they also function as adjectives. Examples: * That was the day/ time/ year/ moment when the world cried. * I can't figure out the reason why she left him. Note: You may also use that instead of when and why. Note: Where = preposition + which Examples: * We visited the mansion where ghosts and monsters dwell. = We visited the mansion in which ghosts and monsters dwell. Some adjective clauses need to be set off by commas and others don’t. Nonrestrictive clauses need commas and restrictive clauses don’t. Non-restrictive clauses are like gossip, they provide additional detail about someone (or something) whose identity we already know. We place them in between commas. Examples: * My English teacher, who wears old fashioned ties, is laughed at by the students. * My English book, which is tremendously boring, is used mainly as a door stop. * Gordon said that the tree in front of his house, which which is blocking his view of the mountains, had to be removed. Note: We CANNOT use that instead of which and who for these clauses NEITHER can we omit them, even when they are the object of the verb/ preposition. Note: Restrictive clauses, on the other hand, identify which ones we are talking about. We don't set them off with commas. Examples: * The English teachers that I like best forget to go to class. (This isn’t pure gossip any longer. The writer doesn’t like all English teachers equally well. The adjective clause identifies which ones he likes best.) * Anyone who reads all of this will go away happier and wiser. (Once again, this clause identifies who will go away happier and wiser.) Sentential Clauses ajvilches. 6/ 2009 http://www.mhhe.com/mayfieldpub/tsw/cl-adj.htm http://www.pitt.edu/~atteberr/comp/0150/grammar/adjclauses.html http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/clauses.htm

Some relative clauses will refer to more than a single word in the preceding text; they can modify an entire clause or even a series of clauses. We use which for these clauses. Which means 'the fact that' in these sentences. Examples: * The fact that Charlie didn't get the job in administration surprised his friends. = Charlie didn't get the job in administration, which really surprised his friends. * Charlie didn't get the job in administration and he didn't even apply for the Dean's position, which really surprised his friends. * His nightmares are getting worse and worse, which bothers his therapist.

ajvilches. 6/ 2009 http://www.mhhe.com/mayfieldpub/tsw/cl-adj.htm http://www.pitt.edu/~atteberr/comp/0150/grammar/adjclauses.html http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/clauses.htm