Grammar-Quizzes › Clauses › Relative Clauses
Relative Clauses ("Adjective Clause")
Add descriptive or identifying information to a noun
A relative clause
- expresses descriptive or identifying information about a noun or noun phrase.
- functions as a descriptor that limits or restricts the noun with the information that it adds. The leaves that were red and yellow fell to the ground. The leaves that were brown stayed on the tree.
- takes form as a clause:
- connected by a relative pronoun (that, which, who, whom or whose). We saw the person who raked the leaves.
- placed directly after the noun it modifies. The leaves that fell on the ground formed a multi-colored carpet.
- adjusted to the temporal, locational and pronoun references in the main clause. He gave us a leaf that he had found earlier this morning.
Renamed Terms
- Adjective Clause is a traditional grammar term for a clause that modifies a noun. However, in modern description "Adjective" is a term reserved for the word category Adjective (Adjective Properties). The clause is a modifier (not an adjective) to the noun. For this reason, the clause is referred to as a relative clause because it relates additional information to the noun.
- Adverb Clause is a traditional grammar term for a clause that modifies the verb. However, the adverbs (when, while, because, since, though, if , so, etc.) have been reanalyzed and moved to the category Preposition (Preposition Properties). The structure is now called a Prepositional Phrase (not a clause). See Connective Prepositions.
- Noun Clause is a traditional grammar term for an embedded clause that functions as the subject or "object" (predicate complement), of the clause in a similar way that a noun does. However, a clause is a structure; it cannot be a word, a "noun". (See Noun Properties). For this reason, the structure is called a subordinate clause or content clause because it adds information or content in a complex form within a clause.
See The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, 11 §3.1 and Longman Grammar Of Spoken And Written English, 2.13.
Relative Clauses
That vs. Which (restrictive)
Reduced Relative Cls
Aside Comments (punc.)
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*Adjective clause is an out-of-date term. See "Renamed Terms" at the bottom of "What is a relative clause?" (link above).
Relative Clauses ("Adjective Clause")
Summary of Practices
Relative Cls Diagnostic: identify specific points that need review
Quiz 1: beginning–intermediate
Quiz 2: intermediate–advanced
That & Which Clauses: add modifying clauses to inanimate nouns
Intermediate ESL, Native Speakers
Practice 1 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 2 – correct – incorrect
Practice 3 – edit paragraph
A car that is very small is economical to drive.
The car that I want to buy is economical to drive.
Who/m & That Clauses add a modifying clause to a personal (animate) noun
Intermediate ESL, Native Speakers
The woman who called you is here.
The woman that called you is here.
The woman (whom) you called is here.
Whose Clauses: relate a person noun to someone or something
Intermediate ESL, Native Speakers
The woman who is Greek is on the phone.
The woman whose name is Greek is on the phone.
Of which Clauses: relate an inanimate noun to someone or something
Intermediate–Advanced, ESL, Native Speakers
Possessive for People vs. Things
Practice 1 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 2 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 3 – edit paragraph
The car the lines of which are sleek is excellent. (formal)
The car whose lines are sleek is excellent. (less formal)
The car with the sleek lines is excellent.
All of which Clauses: express a quantity in a modifying clause
Advanced, ESL, Native Speakers
Practice 1 – complete sentence (MC)
The Walt Disney Company has several parks, all of which are run by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
California has a lot of visitors, most of whom come to see Disneyland.
When & Where Clause: add a modifying clause to a time or location
Intermediate–Advanced, ESL, Native Speakers
The city where the "flower children" began, is a colorful city.
The years when the "flower children" thrived, was a colorful decade.
Relative Clauses—Restrictive (identifying clauses)
That vs. Which Clause: recognize identifying (restrictive) vs. nonidentifying (nonrestrictive) clauses
Intermediate–Advanced, ESL, Native Speakers
The water that I drank last night contained sodium.
The Evian water, which I drank last night, contained sodium.
Some or All: recognize a "restrictive" versus a "nonrestrictive" clause
Intermediate–Advanced, ESL, Native Speakers
Candy that contains chocolate is dangerous to dogs.
Candy, which is a sweet, is irresistible to children.
Which Clauses: modify the preceding noun versus the idea of the entire clause
Intermediate–Advanced, ESL, Native Speakers
He deleted the picture that upset me. (The picture upset me.)
He deleted the picture, which upset me. (The action upset me.)
Clause Reduction 1: shorten modifying clauses that have be verb forms
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Clause Reduction (be verb forms)
Gerund Clause (progressive)
Participle Clause (passive)
Avoiding the Loss of Information
Practice – multiple choice
Also known as that + be deletion, or changing a finite relative clause to a nonfinite relative clause.
The seat [that was] next to me was empty.
A talk show [which is] trying to improve its rating may plan a fight.
The woman [who is] seated behind me is eating popcorn.
Clause Reduction 2: shorten modifying clauses that have active verb forms
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Reducing a Clause (active verb forms)
Practice 1 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 2 – correct / incorrect
Also known as that + be deletion, or changing a finite relative clause to a nonfinite relative clause.
The committee [which meets] next week will discuss a new bill.
The committee meeting next week will discuss a new bill.
Past Participle Clauses: reduce modifying clauses that have passive verb forms
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Practice 1 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 2 – correct / incorrect
Practice 3 – edit the paragraph
Also known as that + be deletion, or changing a finite relative clause to a nonfinite relative clause.
The Golden Gate Bridge, [which was] designed by Charles Ellis, ...
The Golden Gate Bridge, designed by Charles Ellis, ...
Present Participle Clauses: reduce modifying clauses that have active verb forms
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Practice 1 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 2 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 3 – edit the paragraph
Also known as that + be deletion, or changing a finite relative clause to a nonfinite relative clause.
The federal agency, which was locating the prison on Alcatraz,
preferred the isolated location of the island.
The federal agency, which was located in San Francisco,
preferred the isolated location of the island.
Misrelated Clause: improve the positioning of modifying clauses
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
*Being a guy, it is hard for him to understand her point of view.
Being a guy, he has a hard time understanding her point of view.
Ending with a Preposition: consider placement options
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speaker
Preposition Placement in an Infinitive or Passive Clause
Preposition Placement in a Modifying Clause
Preposition Placement for Verbal Idioms
Grammar Notes (show-hide arrow)
Practice 1 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 2 – formal or informal
Practice 3 – edit the sentence
Who did you give your number to?
To whom did you give your number? very formal
Can you tell me — what kind of person you are interested in?
Can you tell me — in what kind of person you are interested?
The word — that you looked up — is not in my dictionary.
The word — up which you looked — is not in my dictionary.
Relative Clauses—Review / Practice
Ch 13 Adj Clauses: review modifying clauses
practices for Azar UUAE chapter 13
Located in Review Practices
Commercials that you see on TV (is / are) ____ aimed at children.
Modifying Clause Quiz: practice modifying clauses for possessives and quantifiers
auto-correcting quiz – multiple choice
The Bay to Breakers race, (its, whose, that) ____ name comes from its route, is fun for all.