University of Algiers 2, English Department/ Grammar/ 2nd year/ S3/ Teacher: DENIDNI

Clauses
EXERCISE1 For each of the following sentences, classify clauses by writing above it IC for
independent clause or SC for subordinate clause.

Example 1. Roberto has almost finished his term paper, which is about the Moorish empire.

1. The Muslims, who were known in Spanish history as the Moors, invaded Spain from North
Africa in A.D. 711.
2. Moorish Spain, which is known as Andalusia, grew very prosperous.
3. When al-Hakam II became caliph, or ruler, a renaissance of learning took place.
4. In addition, Andalusia’s economy expanded as agriculture, mining, and industry all made
strides forward.
5. Andalusia set up trade with North Africa, further increasing economic growth.
6. The Moors brought new crops—apricots, almonds, and sugar cane—to the region, which
they irrigated with complicated structures.
7. Arab Muslims, Spanish Christians, and Jews collaborated in Andalusia to create celebrated
centers of science at a time when much of Europe was still mired in the Dark Ages.
8. The Alhambra, which was a Moorish fortress and palace in Granada, drew the admiration
of many people.
9. Moorish power in Andalusia began to fall apart after the Christian armies of King Alfonso
VIII defeated the Moorish army in 1212.
10. When the capital, Córdoba, surrendered to the Christian king Ferdinand III in 1236, the
Moorish empire in Spain was weakened significantly.

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EXERCISE 2 In each of the following sentences, underline the adjective clause and circle
the word or words the adjective clause modifies.

Example 1. Mr. Mendoza who traveled to Sri Lanka, has prepared a slide show of his trip.

1. Sri Lanka is an island nation that lies off the coast of the southern tip of India.
2. This island, which was formerly called Ceylon, is famous for its tea.
3. It is a country where both the land and the people present dramatic contrasts.
4. Mount Pidurutalagala, which rises to a height of 8,281 feet (2,524 meters), stands in
contrast to the coastal lowlands.
5. The teachings of the principal religion, Buddhism, contrast with the civil war that has
ravaged the country in recent years.

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University of Algiers 2, English Department/ Grammar/ 2nd year/ S3/ Teacher: DENIDNI

EXERCISE 3 In each of the following sentences, underline the adjective clause and circle
the word or words the adjective clause modifies.

Example 1. My grandparents can remember a time when computers did not even exist.

1. It is futile to worry about things that are in the past.

2. Chinua Achebe is a Nigerian author whose books I enjoy.
3. I hardly recognized the house where I had spent my childhood.
4. The red maple that grows in our backyard turns a beautiful shade of red in the autumn.
5. The 1960s was an era when many young people debated government policies.
6. Astronomy is a subject that I would like to study in more depth.
7. The Shang people of ancient China imported jade, which they laboriously carved into
objects of exquisite beauty.
8. The rain forests where the cockatoos live are being destroyed.
9. Felicia explained the terminology that the programmers had used in the manual.
10. Thailand, which provides the world with much of its rice and teak, is one of the largest
countries in Southeast Asia.

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EXERCISE 4 In each sentence, underline the adjective clause. Circle the noun or pronoun
that the clause modifies. Then, above each relative pronoun or relative adverb, write S for
subject, DO for direct object, OP for object of preposition, or ADV for relative adverb.

Example 1. Taste, which is called the gustatory sense, works hand in hand with smell.

1. Taste buds, which help make the sense of taste possible, are located on the tongue.
2. Each taste bud is made of fifty to seventy cells that are arranged in clusters called papillae.
3. The different tastes that you experience come from the interplay between food, your taste
buds, and your brain.
4. The tip of the tongue is the spot where we taste sweetness.
5. Have you ever experienced a time during which your sense of taste wasn’t functioning
properly?

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University of Algiers 2, English Department/ Grammar/ 2nd year/ S3/ Teacher: DENIDNI

EXERCISE 5 In each sentence, underline the adjective clause. Circle the noun or pronoun
that the clause modifies. Then, above each relative pronoun or relative adverb, write S for
subject, DO for direct object, OP for object of preposition, M for modifier, or ADV for
relative adverb.

Example 1. The piano that Carol’s mother donated to the school has a beautiful tone.

1. Susan is a girl who always tries to focus on the positive aspects of a difficult situation.
2. The field where I used to play soccer is now a shopping mall.
3. Kelly, whose poem was published, was asked to recite it during graduation.
4. Henry found it difficult to think of a time when cars didn’t exist.
5. The toddler accidentally dropped the large tumbler of water that his mother gave him.
6. People who are allergic to aspirin are usually able to take aspirin substitutes.
7. Helen decided to give the books to the person who asked her first.
8. The baseball league in which Shelly plays is hosting a tournament this weekend.
9. The store, the site where an infamous robbery took place, is located across the street.
10. Jennifer is a smart and friendly student whom many people simply call “Jen.”

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EXERCISE 6 Above each adjective clause, write an E if the clause is essential to the
sentence’s meaning or N if the clause is not essential to the sentence’s meaning. If the clause
is not essential, insert commas where they belong.

Example 1. The dog that my grandmother gave me won a blue ribbon in last week’s county
dog show.

1. Tim is one friend on whom I know I can always count.

2. Call out the numbers that you draw from the basket.
3. The women whose opinions I’ve always valued are talking with each other by the door.
4. The students are busily decorating the room in which the school dance is to be held.
5. Mrs. Tate whom I admire always offers constructive criticism.
6. The house where we will meet has a blue car in the driveway.
7. One speaker who seemed rather nervous provided thorough information about the task of
seeking scholarships.
8. Fifteen repetitions with each arm is the number that my coach recommends.
9. She’s a clever girl who can figure out solutions to many problems.
10. I’m allergic to Bermuda grass which is planted all around my neighborhood.

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University of Algiers 2, English Department/ Grammar/ 2nd year/ S3/ Teacher: DENIDNI

EXERCISE 7 Underline the noun clause in each sentence. Then, identify how the noun
clause is used by writing above it S for subject, DO for direct object, IO for indirect object,
OP for object of a preposition, or PN for predicate nominative.

Example 1. No one can predict when the problem of pet overpopulation will finally be
solved.

1. You can discuss your report with whichever teacher is available.

2. A little praise from time to time is what most children need.
3. The mayor will give whoever passes the finish line first a key to the city.
4. The teacher said that this little chunk of granite is over four billion years old.
5. What happened to the fabled city of Atlantis remains a mystery.
6. We will donate whatever we do not need to the Salvation Army.
7. The committee’s decision was that solar power cells should be installed.
8. Derik expounded his weird theories to whoever would listen to them.
9. Marie Curie discovered that radium is an element.
10. How whales hunt by means of echolocation will be our subject for today.

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EXERCISE 8 In each of the following sentences, underline the adverb clause and circle the
word or words the clause modifies.

Example 1. Danika likes riding her bicycle more than she likes jogging.

1. After I eat lunch, I will clean my room.

2. This hat is prettier than that one is.
3. When you get home, please clean your room.
4. Do you really watch tennis on TV more than you watch basketball?
5. George Bernard Shaw did not write a play until he was thirty-five years old.
6. Karen makes friends wherever she goes.
7. If you like the music of Mozart, you will love Beethoven’s first symphony.
8. Don’t open that present early unless you want to ruin the surprise.
9. Because Keith was born in Tokyo, his parents gave him a Japanese middle name.
10. Provided that you complete the training, you can start work next week.

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University of Algiers 2, English Department/ Grammar/ 2nd year/ S3/ Teacher: DENIDNI

EXERCISE 9 In each sentence, underline the subordinate clause. Above each subordinate
clause, write ADJ if the clause functions as an adjective or ADV if the clause functions as an
adverb.
Example 1. Jeff is the one whose brother works overseas.

1. Although some people have had access to the Internet for only a short time, its beginnings
can be traced back to the 1960s.
2. The Internet, which is a network connecting many computers using a common
communications protocol, was once used mostly by academics.
3. The ARPAnet, which was established in 1969, was the predecessor of the Internet.
4. ARPAnet is an acronym that stands for Advanced Research Projects Agency Network.
5. The Department of Defense established ARPAnet when they wanted to connect computers
at military installations and universities.
6. Later, in 1974, the Xerox Corporation adapted the communications network for use in its
business because it could inexpensively send information throughout the company.
7. The people at Xerox, who called their adaptation an Ethernet, cut the cost of installation
with new wiring techniques.
8. Although such communication nets were once used only by military personnel, academics,
and business people, today anyone can use the Internet.
9. Provided that you have a library card, you can access the Internet at many public libraries.
10. You can even go to an Internet café and have a snack while you browse the World Wide
Web.