How to identify adjectives clauses

A clause has a subject and a verb. An adjective clause is a dependent or subordinate clause which performs the same function as an adjective. As an adjective always modifies a noun or a pronoun, similarly an adjective clause also modifies a noun or a pronoun in a sentence. 

Most of the adjectives clauses start with relative pronouns and these are only five in the whole language. These are:

• Who 
• Whose
• Whom
•  That
• Which

And on occasion, they start with subordinating conjunctions called relative adverbs such as Where, Where. I suggest you memorize these relative pronouns and relative adverb as they are very little in numbers. Because the adjective clauses often start with the relative pronouns, they are also called relative clauses.

 Let’s look at some of the examples.

The book that I’m studying has been written by Alama Tahir-ul-Qadri.

As I said, an adjective clause often begins with the relative pronouns. In the sentence, can you spot any of them? 

Let’s first find it and them the whole clause.

In this sentence, “that” is the relative pronoun, and then we can find the rest of the clause for subject and verb. Our whole adjective clause is “THAT I AM STUDYING”, where “I” is the subject and “studying” is the verb.

Notice that if we eliminate the relative pronoun, we are left with two independent clauses:

1. The book has been written by Alama Tahir-ul-Qadri.
2. I’m studying.

Both the clauses have the subjects and the verbs. It is the relative pronoun which makes the one clause dependent on the other. Now let's look at the function of the adjective clause we've just spotted.

The function of the Clause

As we know adjectives are always adjacent to things they modify unless they are predicate adjectives. Based on this information, we can say there is the only thing our adjective clause can possibly modify is the word “BOOK”. It can also be verified using adjective questions.

Which book? The one I’m studying!

Examples of Adjective Clause

Let’s look at another example.

Students who work hard often get good marks.

First look for the relative pronoun and that is “WHO”. We can find the rest of the clause by finding and eliminating the main clause which is “STUDENTS OFTEN GET GOOD MARKS”. All the rest is our adjective clause: WHO WORK HARD.

You might think that there is no subject in our adjective clause but in this case, the relative pronoun “WHO” is the subject of the sentence. Now let’s look at the function of our relative or adjective clause.

If you note, there are two nouns in the sentence that are “STUDENTS” and “MARKS”. Now the questions is: Which of the two nouns is being modified by our adjective clause?

There should be a no problem figuring it out as there is only one noun adjacent to our adjective clause and that is “STUDENTS”. You can also test it through adjective questions.

Which students? Who work hard!

Two girls I have coached have participated in the finals

In the sentence, we cannot see any relative pronoun but does that mean there is no adjective clause in it. Let’s see!

If I break the sentence, I can see two distinct clauses. But how do I know this? I know this because the subject of the sentence “GIRLS” is followed by the pronoun “I” which are both subjects and only one verb. So there have to be two clauses:

1. Two girls have participated in the finals
2. I have coached

Which one of the two is the main clause and which one is subordinate? Well just think for a moment what the sentence is all about. It is about the two girls participated in the finals; therefore it is our main clause. Also the subordinate clause “I HAVE COACHED” is capable of modifying the noun of our main clause.

Which girls? The one I coached!

To summarize, if you do not see the relative pronouns or adverb in a sentence where you are asked to spot an adjective clause, then fear not, as you have got the way discussed above to figure this out.

Types of Adjective Clauses

Adjective clauses have two types

• Essential or Restrictive Clause
• Non-essential clauses. or Non-restrictive Clause.

Essential clauses cannot be removed without changing the basic meaning of a sentence.

1. I visited the Banjosa’s picnic point, where the lake had an enchanting view.
2. I visited the city where the prices were very high.

Both sentences have adjective clauses starting with the same relative pronouns but only one of them is essential, however.

If we eliminate the adjective clause from the first sentence, then what do we lose? Off course, nothing as everyone knows that the Lake of Banjosa has an enchanting view. Therefore, this clause is non-essential or non-restrictive.

In the second sentence, we lose the important information about the city if we eliminate the adjective clause. Since, we cannot say that the prices are always high or something that is always true, therefore, we need this clause. It is the essential or restrictive clause.

• The match, which was played yesterday, ended in a tie.
• The match that was played tomorrow ended in a tie.

The two adjective clauses in both the sentences are “WHICH WAS PLAYED TOMORROW” and “THAT WAS PLAYED TOMORROW”. Both are almost exactly alike, then how we can tell the difference?

In the first sentence, the adjective clause provides us just extra information, it is the non-essential clause. In the second sentence, the adjective clause provides important information. You can understand it by assuming that there had been more than a match. Here’s a tip:

Non-essential clauses often begin with the word “WHICH” and enclosed in commas. Essential clauses often begin with “THAT” and do not have commas around them.