6E: Introduction to adjective clauses

Part I: FORM

Adjective clauses (a.k.a. relative clauses) are dependent clauses which follow closely the noun which they modify. They are dependent on the noun. They cannot exist alone.

Adjective clauses begin with a special word, called a relative pronoun (a.k.a. adjective clause pronoun). The relative pronouns introduce the relative clause.

The relative pronouns are:

who/whom/that (for people))
which/that (for things)
whose (for possessions of people or things)
where (for places)
when (for time)

To form a relative clause, the formula is:
relative pronoun + S + V

Part II: Function

 Adjective clause pronouns (a.k.a. relative pronouns) can either be used as the subject of the relative clause or the object of the verb of the clause, as demonstrated below:

1. Subject relative clause

Two simple sentences:
I thanked the woman.
She helped me.

One complex sentence: 
I thanked the woman WHO/THAT helped me.

She (the woman) is the subject of the adjective clause.
This is called a subject relative clause.

*In a subject relative clause, the relative pronoun functions as both the relative pronoun AND the subject.

Here is another example:

The book is mine.
It is on the table.

The book WHICH/THAT is on the table is mine.
It (the book) is the subject of the relative clause.

So this is also a subject relative clause.

 *Again: In a subject relative clause, the relative pronoun functions as both the relative pronoun AND the subject.

2. Object relative clause

Two simple sentences:
She is the woman.
I thanked her.

One complex sentence:
She is the woman WHO/WHOM/THAT/0 I thanked.

The woman (her) is the OBJECT of the second sentence.
This is called an object relative clause.

Another example:

Two simple sentences:
The movie wasn't very good.
We saw it last night.

One complex sentence:
The movie THAT/WHICH/0 we saw last night wasn't very good.

It (the movie) is the OBJECT of the second sentence, making this an object relative clause.

3. Relative pronoun as the object of the preposition (object clause)

Two simple sentences:
She is the woman.
I told you about her.

One complex sentence:
She is the woman ABOUT WHOM I told you. (Formal)
She is the woman WHO/WHOM/THAT/0  I told you ABOUT.

Two simple sentences:
The music was good.
We listened to it last night.

One complex sentence:
The music TO WHICH we listened last night was good. (Formal)
Th music WHICH/THAT/0 we listened TO last night was good.