ADJECTIVE CLAUSE AND ADJECTIVE PHRASE

A. Adjective Clause

1. What is an adjective clouse

An adjective clause, also known as an adjectival clause, is a type of dependent clause that works to
describe a noun in a sentence. It functions as an adjective even though it is made up of a group of words
instead of just one word. In the case of an adjective clause, all the words work together to modify the
noun or pronoun.

2. Adjective Clauses are Dependent

All adjective clauses are dependent clauses. A dependent clause is a group of words that consists of a
subject and a verb, yet it is not a complete sentence that can stand alone. Adjective clauses begin with a
relative pronoun, which connects them to the word they describe, such as that, when, where, who, whom,
whose, which, and why.

Adjective clause marker :

Who Subject (people)

A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in the nervous system.
Whom Object (people)
This is the patient whom the doctor treated.
Whose Possessive (people)
Mr. Collins is the man whose house I rented.
Which Subject/Object (things)
1. That is a topic which interests me. (which as subject)
2. That is the topic on which I will write. (which as object of preposition)
That Subject/Object (people/things)
1. Art that is in public places can be enjoyed by everyone. (that as subject)
2. The painting that Ms. Wallace bought was very expensive. (that as object)
Where Adverb (place)
Here is the site where the bank plans to build its new headquarters.
When Adverb (time)
This is the hour when the children usually go to bed.

3. Essential vs. Non-Essential Adjective Clauses

An essential (or restrictive) adjective clause provides information that is necessary for identifying the
word it modifies. A nonessential (or nonrestrictive) adjective clause provides additional information

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 about the word it modifies, but the word’s meaning is already clear. Nonessential clauses are always set
off with commas.

When deciding whether to include the word that or which in an adjective clause, remember to use that
for essential clauses and which for nonessential clauses:

a) Essential Clause
Sometimes the information included in an adjective clause is very important to the meaning of the
sentence. For cases in which the sentence wouldn't hold the same meaning without the clause, the
adjective clause is called an essential clause. For example:
The art class that Lucas takes focuses on desgn.
(That Lucas takes is an essential adjective clause. It contains the subject Lucas and the verb takes.
The clause modifies the noun class, providing necessary information about it.)

I don't like children who eat ice cream with their hands.

In this case, the adjective clause gives essential information to describe the children. If you got rid
of that clause, the sentence would simply say "I don't like children," which is very different from
not liking messy children who eat with their hands!

An essential adjective clause does not require any additional punctuation.

b) Nonessential Claus
A non-essential adjective clause, on the other hand, gives extra description that is not strictly
required to understand the writer's intent. For example:
The house on the left, which belong to Necole, is up for sale.
(Which belongs to Nicole is a nonessential adjective clause. It contains the subject which and the
verb belongs. The clause modifies the noun house, providing additional, nonessential information
about it.)

The kitten, which was the smallest of the litter, finally found a foster home.

In this case, the adjective clause gives extra information, but it isn't necessary to get the gist of the
sentence about the cat finding a home. Non-essential adjective clauses are set off with commas to
show that they aren't as strongly connected to the rest of the sentence.

4. Adjective Clauses in Action

Below are more examples of adjective clauses. See if you can determine which ones are essential and
which are non-essential as you review them. Ask yourself, is the information necessary to the meaning
of the sentence? Is punctuation required?

• The dog that I brought home from the pound was soon fast asleep.
• The time will come when you feel sorry for the things you've done.
• The smart teenager, whose parents are my neighbors, went to a prestigious college.
• The used car, which my dad bought last week, broke down yesterday.
• The reason that Penelope failed the test is that she didn't study.

5. Adding Detail
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 Adding adjective clauses to your writing is a good way to provide additional detail about the nouns and
pronouns in your work. This extra description will enrich your writing and help the reader understand
your message more clearly.

When you know the relative pronouns and how to distinguish between essential and non-essential
clauses, you'll have no trouble identifying adjective clauses and punctuating them correctly in your
writing.

And with all this talk of clauses, this may also be a good time to refresh your memory on independent
and dependent clauses.

6. More examples for Adjective Clouse

Mr. Jackson is the teacher who helped me with my math problems.

(Who helped me with my math problems is an adjective clause. It contains the subject who and the verb
helped. The clause modifies the noun teacher.)

The bad weather is the reason why I decided to drive instead of walk.

(Why I decided to drive instead of walk is an adjective clause. It contains the subject I and the verb
decided. The clause modifies the noun reason.)

Mia is the person whose family owns a horse ranch.

(Whose family owns a horse ranch is an adjective clause. It contains the subject family and the verb
owns. The clause modifies the noun person.)

B. Adjective Phrase
Like an adjective, an adjective phrase modifies a noun or pronoun by providing more information about
it.
Prepositional phrases, participial phrases, and infinitive phrases can all function as an adjective phrase in
sentences. A prepositional phrase includes a preposition, its object, and any modifiers of the object. A
participial phrase includes a participle, plus any modifiers and complements. An infinitive phrase includes
an infinitive, plus any modifiers and complements.

1. How Can I Identify an Adjective Phrase?

The trick to identifying an adjective phrase is to look at the first word within the group of words. If the
first word is an adverb or a preposition, there's a good chance you're looking at an adjective phrase.

Ask yourself, what is this phrase modifying? Is it describing a noun? If it is, in fact, modifying the
noun or subject of a sentence, then you're looking at an adjective phrase.

2. What Does an Adjective Phrase Consist Of?

An adjective phrase can be formed out of an intensifier and an adjective. An example might be:

The dazzlingly beautiful woman walked down the street.

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 Sometimes, one adjective isn't descriptive enough. In this case, a string of adjectives can work together
as an adjective phrase to describe a noun, such as: She had the most silky, smooth, and radiant hair
I've ever seen.

In the sentence, "Monica is a sweet girl," there is one adjective, namely, sweet. However, in the
sentence, "Monica is a sweet, intelligent, beautiful girl," we see an adjectival phrase that paints a
much more in-depth picture of Monica.

3. What Can Adjective Phrases Do in a Sentence?

Adjective phrases don't simply modify nouns. They can also modify pronouns. Let's look at two
examples:

• He is from Boston.
• Tom is from Boston.

Each of these sentences has an adjective phrase. In the first example, the adjective phrase from Boston
points back to the pronoun (and subject) "he." In the second example, the adjective phrase from Boston
points back to the noun (and subject) "Tom."

It doesn't matter if the noun is a pronoun or not; the adjective phrase still functions in the same manner.
So, if you're looking for a more complex way to modify a noun - beyond a simple adjective - try using
an adjective phrase. You can either use several adjectives in a row, begin a phrase with a preposition,
or start with an adverb to modify the noun at hand.

4. Examples of Adjective Phrases

Of course, the best way to understand this type of phrase is to see it in action. Let's take a look at
an example with an adjective and one with an adjective phrase:

• The beautiful house sits atop the hill.

• The house that is so beautiful sits atop the hill.

These two sentences mean the same thing. However, the former has an adjective, while the latter
has an adjectival phrase.

Here's another example:

• The angry dog barks all day long.

• The dog that seems very angry barks all day long.

Again, these two sentences mean the same thing. However, the former has an adjective, while the
latter has an adjectival phrase.

Some adjective phrases modify nouns or noun phrases. Here are a few examples:

• The very small kitten jumped at the big dog.

• The cost of the car was way too high.
• The man covered with sweat trudged his way home.
• Something in the corner was moving.
• The big bug under the blanket is coming toward me.

Other adjective phrases modify the predicate of the sentence. Here are some examples:
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 • Extra buttons came with the coat.
• Gremlins cause mischief inside of machines.
• We were saddened by the news of his demise.
• The brownies smell deliciously sweet.
• I was delighted he was chosen for the part.

Adjective phrases can also modify objects and will follow the word they are modifying. Here are
some examples:

• She wanted to paint her room lemony yellow.

• My new kitten makes me very happy.
• I sometimes pity people living in large cities.
• We are collecting money for children born with heart defects.
• They were proud of their team winning the championship.

5. Adjective Phrases Provide Greater Detail

A well-chosen adjective phrase can give a sentence more life and personality. A single adjective
alone may be all the spice you need, but if it can be built out into an adjective phrase, you may be
able to provide readers with greater detail.

6. Incomplete Or Missing Participial Phrases

Participial phrases generally occur after nouns. They are actually reduced (shortened) relative
clauses. Present participles (which always end in -ing) are used to reduce adjective clauses that
contain active verbs.
• Minnesota, which joined the Union in 1858, became the thirty-second state. (adjective clause
with active verb)
• Minnesota, joining the Union in 1858, became the thirty-second state.
(participial phrase with a present participle)

Most past participles end in -ed, but there are also many irregular forms. Past participles are used to
reduce adjective clauses with passive verbs.
• William and Mary College, which wasfounded in 1693, is the second oldest university in the
United States.
(adjective clause with a passive verb)
• William and Mary College, founded in 1693, is the second oldest university in the United
States.
(participial phrase with a past participle)

Participial phrases can also come before the subject of a sentence.

• joining the Union in 1858, Minnesota became the thirty-second state.
• Founded in 1693, William and Mary College is the second oldest university in the United
States.

Usually, the participle itself is missing from this type of Structure item, but any part of a participial
phrase as well as parts of a main clause may be missing.