Adjective Clause

Warm Up
The sentences are all correct.
The words in italics are all pronoun. What nouns do they refer
to? How does the noun affect the choice of the pronoun?

1. I called the student. He has not attended classes for 3 weeks.

I called the student who has not attended classes for 3 weeks.
I called the student that has not attended classes for 3 weeks.

2. The room is 111. It is located near a pantry.

The room which is located near a pantry is 111.
The room that is located near a pantry is 111.
 Adjective Clause Pronoun Used as the Subject
I thank the woman. She helped me.
a) I thanked the woman who helped me.
b) I thanked the woman that helped me.
The book is mine. It is on the table.
c) The book which is on the table is mine.
d) The book that is on the table is mine.
In (a): I thanked the woman = a main clause;
who helped me = an adjective clause.*
An adjective clause modifies a noun.
In (a): the adjective clause modifies woman.
In (a): who is the subject of the adjective clause.
In (b): that is the subject of the adjective clause.
NOTE: (a) and (b) have the same meaning; (c) and (d) have the same
meaning.
Who = used for people
Which = used for things
That = used for both people and things
e) Correct: The book that is on the table is mine.
f) Incorrect: The book is mine that is on the table.

An adjective clause closely follows

the noun it modifies.

*A clause is a structure that has a subject and a verb. There

are two kinds of clauses: independent and dependent. In
example:
•The main clause (I thanked the woman) is also called an
independent clause. An independent clause is a complete
sentence and can stand alone.
•The adjective clause (who helped me) is a dependent clause.
A dependent clause is NOT a complete sentence and cannot
stand alone. A dependent clause must be connected to an
independent clause.
 Exercise 1

1. I like the subject. It talks about how to manage

educational matters.
2. (write down another sentence similar to sentence
number 1 (related to favorite subject).
3. The students are sometimes noisy. They gather near
room 111.
4. The student is from … . She/he sits next to me.
 Exercise 2
Make true statements. Use who as the subject of an adjective clause.
Work in pairs.

Example: I like teachers who …

I like teachers who do not give a lot of tasks.

1. People who … amaze me.

2. I don’t like people who …
3. Friends who … frustrate me.
 Adjective Clause Pronoun Used as the Object
of a Verb
Adjective Clause Pronouns Used as the Object of a Verb

The man was Mr. Didi. I saw him.

•The man who(m) I saw was Mr. Didi.
•The man that I saw was Mr. Didi.
•The man Ø I saw was Mr. Didi.

The movie wasn't very good. We saw it last night.

•The movie which we saw last night wasn't very good.
•The movie that we saw last night wasn't very good.
•The movie Ø we saw last night wasn't very good.
Notice in the examples: The adjective clause pronouns are placed
at the beginning of the clause.
In (a): who is usually used instead of whom, especially in
speaking. Whom is generally used only in very formal English.
In (c) and (f): An object pronoun is often omitted (Ø) from an
adjective clause. (A subject pronoun, however, may not be
omitted)
Who(m) = used for people
Which = used for things
That = used for both people and things

•INCORRECT: The man who(m) I saw him was Mr.Jones

The man that I saw him was Mr.Jones.
The man I saw him was Mr.Jones
In (g): the pronoun him must be removed. It is unnecessary
because who(m), that, or Ø functions as the object of the verb
saw.
 Exercise 3
Combine the two sentences. Use the second
sentence as an adjective clause. Give all the
possible patterns, orally or in writing.

The journal was good. I read it. → The journal

that/which/ Ø I read was good.

1. The class was fun. I attended it yesterday.

2. I will do the assignment. My lecturer gave it.
3. Some toilets are uncomfortable. We use them
everyday.
 Adjective Clause Pronouns Used as the Object of a
Preposition

She is the woman. I told you about her.

a. She is the woman about whom I told you.
b. She is the woman who(m) I told you about.
c. She is the woman that I told you about.
d. She is the woman Ø I told you about.

The audio was good. We listened to it last week.

e. The audio to which we listened last week was good.
f. The audio which we listened to last week was good.
g. The audio that we listened to last week was good.
h. The audio Ø we listened to last week was good.
In very formal English, the preposition comes at the beginning of the
adjective clause, as in (a) and (e). Usually, however, in everyday usage,
the preposition comes after the subject and verb of the adjective clause,
as in the other examples.

NOTE: If the preposition comes at the beginning of the adjective clause,

only whom or which may be used. A preposition is never immediately
followed by that or who.

INCORRECT: She is the woman about who I told you.

INCORRECT: The music to that we listened last night was good.
 Exercise 4
Combine the sentences.

1. The woman gave me good advice. I spoke to

her.
2. The university is in Yogyakarta. I wanted to go
to it.
3. I know little about the task. You are working on
it.
 Using Whose in Relative Clause
I know the student. His helmet was stolen.
•I know the man whose helmet was stolen.

The student writes well. I read her composition.

•The student whose composition I read writes well.

Whose is used to show possession. It carries the same meaning as

other possessive pronouns used as adjectives: his, her, its, and their.
Like his, her, its, and their, whose is connected to a noun:
his bicycle → whose helmet
her composition → whose composition
Both whose and the noun it is connected to are placed at the beginning
of the adjective clause. Whose cannot be omitted.
•I work at a university whose students come from so many different
regions.
 Exercise 5
Complete the sentences based on the current fact
using who/whose and necessary completion

1. I am sitting with a friend … last name is …

2. I have a friend … can spell alphabets backward.
3. Some students … have tall bodies are …,…, and
….
4. I have a friend …. pronunciation is excellent.
He/she is … .
5. The students … files don’t meet the
requirement can’t do the presentation.