When most people think of adjectives they think of words that modify or describe nouns and pronouns, as in this sentence: “Tom is tall, dark, and handsome.” Adjectives, however, come in several forms, including clauses, which are groups of words containing a subject, at least an understood subject, and a verb, and which, like words that are adjectives, modify nouns or pronouns by answering specific questions:
- Which One?
- What Kind?
- How Many?
- Whose?
Adjectives as Dependent Clauses in Sentences
All sentences are made up of clauses, and complex sentences contain at least one independent clause and one or more dependent, or subordinate, clauses. Clauses working in adjectival roles are always dependent, meaning they rely upon independent clauses to give them full meaning and, therefore, cannot stand alone since they do not make complete statements. Adjective clauses usually begin with one of the following relative pronouns:
- That
- Which
- What
- Whoever, whomever
- Who, whom, whose
- Whichever, whatever
- Where (Yes, although usually considered an adverb, the word “where” can begin an adjective clause if the clause is describing a noun or pronoun.)
Some examples of adjective clauses include the following:
- Tom, who is a mediocre writer at best, aspires to be a best-selling author.
- The writer whom Tom most admires is Raymond Chandler.
- The writer Tom most admires is Raymond Chandler. (Note the relative pronoun has been omitted, but it is understood.)
- Tom dreams of a future that is filled with fame and fortune.
- The small town where Tom and Sue live has only two traffic lights on Main Street.
- The house where Tom and Sue live, which is over 50 years old, is in dire need of repair. (In this sentence, there are two adjective clause, both modifying the word “house”.)
Guidelines for Word Choice in Adjective Clauses
When deciding whether to use who or whom or which or that to begin an adjective clause, keep these rules in mind:
- Do not use that or which to refer to people but only to things or animals.
- Use whom or whom to refer to people but not to things or animals.
Here are some sample sentences:
- Tom believes writers who are truly determined to succeed will eventually meet with success.
- The things that Tom most enjoys are football and cold beer.
- Tom and Sue’s cat Bonkers, which they adopted from the local animal shelter, bites them when they least expect it.
- Sue whispered in Tom’s ear, “Look, there’s the woman whom everyone has been talking about.”
When to Use a Comma with an Adjective Clause
The key words to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to use a comma or commas to set off an adjective clause are “essential” and “nonessential.” In other words, if the information contained in the adjective clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence, the clause should not be set off by a comma or commas. However, if the information is nonessential to the sentence’s meaning, you should use a comma or commas to set it off.
- The old man who lives next door to Tom and Sue turned ninety last Friday. (In this sentence, the clause is essential, for without it, you would no longer know which old man; he is the old man who lives next door to Tom and Sue.)
- Mr. Braxton, who lives next door to Tom and Sue, turned ninety last Friday. (Here the information is not necessary since the man’s name is provided.)
As a test before deciding whether or not to insert a comma or commas, ask yourself if the sentence will still make complete sense without the clause. If it won’t, then do not insert a comma or commas.
Choosing Between Which or That to Begin a Clause
The main rule governing usage of “which” compared to “that” is that clauses beginning with “which” are usually set off by commas while clauses beginning with “that” usually are not.
- Tom thought the short story that he submitted to Reader’s Digest was his best work to date.
- The short story “Martian Beach Bunnies,” which Tom wrote last August, was rejected for publication by 25 different magazines.
In summary, adjective clauses describe nouns and pronouns, and they play an important role in the English language. After all, without adjective clauses, most sentences would be lacking in important and even colorful details that help add substance to both written and oral communications.
Carol Rzadkiewicz - Carol Rzadkiewicz has taught college English for over 14 years and is the author of three published novels and numerous short stories.
