Adjective ClausesAn adjective clause is a group of words. . . that functions as one unit; that modifies a noun, a pronoun, or a noun clause; that has its own subject-verb combination; that usually has a subordinator; and that may not stand alone as a complete sentence.Adjective ClausesFact #1: An adjective clause may modify. . . a common noun, a proper noun, a pronoun, or a noun clause.Consider the following examples carefully.Adjective ClausesModifying a common noun: We ate some dessert that she brought. The dependent clause here, that she brought, modifies the common noun dessert, so it is an adjective clause. Its subject-verb combination is she brought and its subordinator is that.Adjective ClausesModifying a proper noun: They wanted an autograph from John Grisham, who is their favorite author. The dependent clause here, who is their favorite author, modifies the proper noun John Grisham, so this is an adjective clause. Its subject-verb combination is who is and its subordinator is who.Adjective ClausesModifying a pronoun: Is there someone we can speak with? The dependent clause here, we can speak with,modifies the pronoun someone, so this is an adjective clause. Its subject-verb combination is we can speak and it has no subordinator. In fact, this clause is an example of the zerosubordinator. If this clause had a subordinator, it would be whom or that.Adjective ClausesModifying a noun clause: What you request, which you also need, is reasonable. Two dependent clauses appear here. The first, What you request, is a noun clause that functions as a subject; its verb is is. The second, which you also need, modifies the noun clause, so the second is an adjective clause. Its subject-verb combination is youneed and its subordinator is which.Adjective ClausesFact #2: An adjective clausemay modify a common noun, a proper noun, a pronoun, or a noun clause that functions as . . . a subject, a complement, an object of a verb, an object of a gerund, an object of an infinitive, an object of a preposition, an object of aparticiple, or a time expression.Adjective ClausesModifying a subject: That book that I bought last week is on the table. The adjective clause here, that I bought last week, modifies the common noun book,which functions as the subject of the verb isin the independent clause. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is I bought and its subordinator is that.Adjective ClausesModifying a complement: Our assignment is that book that I bought last week. The adjective clause here, that I bought last week, modifies the common noun book,which functions as a complement of the subject assignment. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is I bought and its subordinator is that.Adjective ClausesModifying an object of a verb: Have you put away that book that I bought last week? The adjective clause here, that I bought last week, modifies the common noun book,which functions as an object of the verb Haveput away. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is I bought and its subordinator is that.Adjective ClausesModifying an object of a gerund: Finding that book that I bought last week was hardly easy. The adjective clause here, that I bought last week, modifies the common noun book,which functions as an object of the gerundFinding. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is I bought and its subordinator is that.Adjective ClausesModifying an object of an infinitive: She asked to borrow that book that I bought last week.The adjective clause here, that I bought last week, modifies the common noun book,which functions as an object of the infinitiveto borrow. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is I bought and its subordinator is that.Adjective ClausesModifying an object of a preposition: We know nothing about that book that I bought last week.The adjective clause here, that I bought last week, modifies the common noun book,which functions as an object of the preposition about. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is I bought and its subordinator is that.Adjective ClausesModifying an object of a participle: Reading that book that I bought last week, I noticed many interesting sentences.The adjective clause here, that I bought last week, modifies the common noun book,which functions as an object of the participle Reading. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is I bought and its subordinator is that.Adjective ClausesModifying a time expression: The year that we lived there she was sick.The adjective clause here, that we lived there,modifies the common noun year, which functions here as a time expression. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is we lived and its subordinator is that.Subordinators in Adjective ClausesFact #3: Subordinators that may appear in adjective clauses include: that, when, where, who, whom, whose, why, and the zero subordinator.Subordinator Functions in Adjective ClausesFact #4: A subordinator may function within an adjective clause as. . . a subject, an object of a verb, an object of a preposition, an object of an infinitive, an adjective, or as an adverbial.Subordinator Functions in Adjective ClausesA subordinator as a subject: He wrote the music that is playing right now. The adjective clause here, that is playing right now, modifies the common noun music. Its subject-verb combination is that is playingand its subordinator is that. In this case, the subordinator that functions within the clause as a subject.Subordinator Functions in Adjective ClausesA subordinator as an object of a verb: He wrote the music that they played. The adjective clause here, that they played,modifies the common noun music. Its subject-verb combination is they played and its subordinator is that. In this case, the subordinator that functions within the clause as an object of the verb played.Subordinator Functions in Adjective ClausesA subordinator as an object of a preposition: He wrote the music which they talked about. The adjective clause here, which they talked about, modifies the noun music. Its subject-verb combination is they talked and its subordinator is which. In this case,which functions within the clause as an object of the preposition about.Subordinator Functions in Adjective ClausesA subordinator as an object of an infinitive: He plays music that people want to hear.The adjective clause here, that people want to hear, modifies the common noun music.Its subject-verb combination is people wantand its subordinator is that. In this case, the subordinator that functions within the clause as an object of the infinitive to hear.Subordinator Functions in Adjective ClausesA subordinator as an adjective: These are the writers whose music he likes. The adjective clause here, whose music he likes, modifies the common noun writers.Its subject-verb combination is he likes and its subordinator is whose. In this case,whose modifies the common noun music,so it functions here as an adjective.Subordinator Functions in Adjective ClausesA subordinator as an adverbial: The studio where they record is in New York. The adjective clause here, where they record,modifies the common noun studio. Its subject-verb combination is they record and its subordinator is where. In this case, the subordinator where adds a location reference to the clause, so it functions within the clause as an adverbial.Replacing Subordinators in Adjective ClausesFact #5: A subordinator in an adjective clause often may be replaced by another subordinator with no resulting change in the meaning. Note: The zero subordinator may take either role: it may replace another subordinator or it may be replaced by another subordinator.Consider each of the following examples.Replacing Subordinators in Adjective ClausesConsider this sentence: This is the book that I bought last week. In this sentence, The adjective clause that I bought last week, modifies the common noun book. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is I bought, and thatis the subordinator. In this clause, thatfunctions as an object of the verb bought.Replacing Subordinators in Adjective ClausesWhat subordinators may replace that here? This is the book that I bought last week.In this clause, which or the zerosubordinator may replace that as the subordinator in this clause: This is the book which I bought last week. This is the book I bought last weekReplacing Subordinators in Adjective ClausesConsider this sentence: We took a course that met on Sunday. In this example, the adjective clause that met on Sunday modifies the common noun course. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is that met. In this clause, that functions both as the subordinator and as the subject of the clause. Replacing Subordinators in Adjective ClausesWhat subordinators may replace that here? We took a course that met on Sunday.In this clause, only which may replace that as the subordinator: We took a course which met on Sunday.Replacing Subordinators in Adjective ClausesConsider this sentence: He is not the person whom I talked with. The adjective clause in this sentence modifies the common noun person. The subject-verb combination of the adjective clause is I talked, and its subordinator is whom,which functions within the clause as an object of the preposition with.Replacing Subordinators in Adjective ClausesWhat subordinators may replace whom here? He is not the person whom I talked with.In this adjective clause, that, who, or the zero subordinator may replace whom as the subordinator: He is not the person that I talked with. He is not the person who I talked with He is not the person I talked withReplacing Subordinators in Adjective ClausesConsider this sentence: He is someone who lives down the street. The adjective clause here, who lives down the street, modifies the pronoun someone.Its subject-verb combination is who lives,and the subordinator who also functions as a subject of the verb lives.Replacing Subordinators in Adjective ClausesWhat subordinators may replace who here? He is someone who lives down the street.In this adjective clause, that is the only subordinator that may replace who in the clause: He is someone that lives down the street.Adjective Clauses