Adjective Clauses - 2

Types of Adjective Clauses

Subject Pattern Clauses
There are several types of adjective (relative) clauses, each with its own rules for form. One type is often referred to as subject pattern clauses because, in them, the relative pronoun (the words introducing the clauses) are the grammatical subjects of the clauses.


Examples:
1. A woman spoke to us. The woman was wearing a green suit. ---> A woman who (that*) was wearing a green suit spoke to us.

The sentence with who has an adjective clause:
Who was wearing a green suit? In the clause, who is the subject. The clause modifies (describes, explains, specifies) the subject of
the sentence: a woman.

2. We hadn't met the woman. The woman was wearing a green suit. ---> We hadn't met the woman who (that*) was wearing a green suit.




Again, the sentence with who has an adjective clause: who was wearing a green suit. In the clause, who is again the subject, but the clause modifies the object of the main sentence: the woman.

3. The new bike is parked outside. The new bike belongs to Peter. ---> The new bike that (which*) is parked outside belongs to Peter.

The sentence with that has an adjective clause:
that is parked outside. In the clause, that is the subject., and the clause modifies the subject of the main sentence: the new bike.

4. I don't like the new bike. The new bike is parked outside. ---> I don't like the new bike that (which*) is parked outside.

The sentence with that has an adjective clause: that is parked outside. In the clause, that is the subject, but the clause modifies the object of the main sentence: the new bike.

Special Notes:
1. Adjective clauses come after the nouns that
they modify:
wrong: A woman was wearing a green suit who spoke to us.
right: A woman who was wearing a green suit spoke to us.
wrong: The new bike belongs to Peter that is parked outside.
right: The new bike that is parked outside belongs to Peter.

2. Do not use both a subject pronoun and a relative pronoun:
wrong: A woman who he was wearing a green suit spoke to us.
right: A woman who was wearing a green suit spoke to us.
wrong: The new bike that it is parked outside belongs to Peter.
right: The new bike that is parked outside belongs to Peter.

3. The relative pronouns who and that are used to refer to people, but who is more common.
   
4. The relative pronouns that and which are used to refer to things, but that is more common.
   



5. The relative pronoun that cannot be used in nonrestrictive clauses (which will be explained later).
   
6. Adjective clauses are sometimes described as dependent clauses because they make no sense by themselves: they need the words of the main sentences to which they are attached in order to show complete thoughts.