Adjectival Clauses

An adjective clause tells you more about the noun, pronoun or the noun phrase in a sentence.
which, that, when, who, whom, whose, when, where, why are relative pronouns are used to introduce
adjectival sentences. These pronouns are called relative pronouns because they relate to a noun or a pronoun
in the sentence.

Ex: Those are the flowers that she brought us. (that relates to the flowers)
The person who parked in the driveway should move the car immediately. (who relates to the person)
Where is the red envelope that I gave you for New Year? (that relates to the envelope)

Occasionally, no relative pronoun is used, but it is implied or understood.

Ex: The girl he met in town yesterday was his classmate.
He is the most talented person we know.

The adjectival clause is usually a dependent clause. It cannot stand on its own.*

Group activity:
Identifying Adjective Clauses. Underline the adjective clause in each of the following sentences.
Italicize the word it modifies.
Example: The book that he wrote has just been published.
1. Mike whose ancestors came from Ireland, marched in the St. Patrick's Day parade.
2. The woman who lives next door is a registered nurse.
3. Williamsburg, Virginia, is a place that I'd like to visit.
4. Maths, which is Dave's favorite subject, has always been easy for him.
5. There is the house that I'd like to buy.
6. Larry's letter, which he mailed Tuesday, reached me on Thursday.
7. Summer, which is my favorite season, will be here in another week.
8. Phil is reading The Call of the Wild, which is Jack London's most famous book.
9. We live just twenty miles from O'Hare Airport, which is the world's busiest airport.
 The man is walking down the street. He is wearing a brown coat.
The noun This sentence is providing us more
information about the man: the noun.
This sentence modifies the noun/
tells us more about the noun.

However instead of writing two separate simple sentences, we can merge those sentences together to make a complex
sentence.
And while merging those two simple sentences together, the second sentence becomes an adjectival clause.

The man, who is wearing a brown coat, is walking down the street.

Normally
relative
pronouns are
used to
introduce the
adjectival
clause