Adjective Clauses

Location and Time Adjective Clauses

LOCATION
1. The house where we had the party belongs to my Uncle Kenneth.
2. The house my Uncle Kenneth bought cost over $200,000.
Location adjective clauses describe a place where something happens. The place can be in a park, on the
street, or even in a desk drawer. Notice that location adjective clauses involve a noun and one of the three
prepositions of location in, at, or on.
Location adjective clauses are sometimes confusing. In the first sentence, something is happening at the
house: a party. In the second sentence, the adjective clause describes the same house, but nothing happens at
the house. In the adjective clause, "the house" is actually the object of the sentence. Instead of using where,
you use the rules for object adjective clauses. Here, the adjective clause uses Ø.
In the first sentence, we want to use this sentence to describe "the house". We had the party at my Uncle
Kenneth's house. To make the adjective clause, we take the location "at my Uncle Kenneth's house" (notice
the preposition at with the noun) and change it to where. Then we move "where" to the beginning of the
adjective clause.
where we had the party
We put the adjective clause after the noun that we are describing. Here is the result:
The house where we had the party belongs to my Uncle Kenneth.
TIME
I remember the Thanksgiving when my Uncle Kenneth dropped the turkey on the kitchen floor.
I remember the Thanksgiving my Uncle Kenneth dropped the turkey on the kitchen floor.
Time adjective clauses are similar to location adjective clauses except that they describe when something was
done instead of where. This time can be "on that Thanksgiving," "in that year," or "at that time." The noun
before the adjective clause is usually a general time word. Notice that time adjective clauses also involve a
noun and one of the three prepositions of location in, at, or on. One special quality of time adjective clauses is
that Ø can also be used instead of "when."
In the first sentence, we want to use this sentence to describe "the Thanksgiving". My Uncle Kenneth
dropped the turkey on the kitchen floor on that Thanksgiving. To make the adjective clause, we take the
time "on that Thanksgiving" (notice the preposition on with the noun) and change it to when. Then we move
"when" to the beginning of the adjective clause.
when my Uncle Kenneth dropped the turkey on the kitchen floor
We put the adjective clause after the noun that we are describing. Here is the result:
I remember the Thanksgiving when my Uncle Kenneth dropped the turkey on the kitchen floor.
The second sentence shows the same sentence using Ø.
I remember the Thanksgiving my Uncle Kenneth dropped the turkey on the kitchen floor.

Exercise
Combine the two sentences, changing the second sentence into a subject adjective clause.
1. I can't find the file. I put the resumes in this file.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The company is near a park. The kids like to play in the park.
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3. The office is on the third floor. They had the interview in the office.
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4. He was also very nervous the last time. He had an interview at that time.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. The room has a window overlooking the park. He will be working in that room.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. The company manufactures computer printers. He is going to work at that company.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. The park was built in the same year. The company was started in the same year.
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