Grammar 2: Adjective Clauses

Practice
Make a sentence about the following people/
things/ places using “who” “which” “that”
“whose” “where” “when”…..
Helen Huntley
 Adjective clauses
Example:
Helen is the ELT expert who runs the CSUSB’s
2+2 program.
• San Bernardino is the city where I’m going to
study for 2 years.
• Pens are one of the things that some students
never bring to class.
 Practice
• Love is …..........which..........
• A good husband is.........who/whose.........
• A good wife is .............who/ whose..........
• Happiness is ..........which/ when/ who.............

Discuss: A & B
• This is a person who visits another country.

a foreign tourist
• This is a place where people play tennis.

a tennis court
• This is a thing which people use to sit down
on.

a chair
• This is a kind of person who solves a mystery.

detective
• This is the thing which we use for flying a kite.

wind
• This is a place where there is a mouse with big
ears.

Disneyland
• This is a thing which we use to look up a word.

dictionary
• This is a verb which describes what you often
do with your eyes closed.

sleep
• This is a person who was revived after three
days.

Jesus Christ
• This is the acronym for California State
University in San Bernardino.

CSUSB
• Your turn!!!
What’s the difference between the two adj
clause pronouns?
1. Tom is the guy who said he liked Chinese girls.

2. Meimei is the girl who was kissed by Tom at

Henry and Bella’s wedding reception.

Who1: is the subject of the verb “said”

Who2: is the object of the verb “kissed”
The film is based on a motorbike journey which
Che made with his friend.

• “which” is the object of the adjective clause.

• “which” can be omitted

Can the relative pronouns be omitted?

a. Look! behind John! That’s the ghost that/ which I
dreamt about last night.
b. The woman who is standing next to Max is
actually dead.
 Relative pronouns
• who/ that, whom, whose, that/ which
• where, when
 Non-defining adjective clauses
a. Michael Jackson, who died at the age of 50,
was one of the best performers of all time.
b. This school, which was founded more than
100 years ago, is going to be moved soon.
c. His house, which is by To Lich river, is a
favorite place for his class gatherings.
d. The Minister of Education and Training, who
is known for his dumbness, is going to resign.
1. Ngoc/ guy/ always/ sit/ next/ Huy.

2. Thu Le zoo/ place/ Sally and Tony/ often/ spend/ weekend

3. Caisey’s boyfriend,/ spends lots of time and money/ beauty

products,/ deny/ he/ a metrosexual (notice the commas)

4. time/ Lizzie/ had a crush/ Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan

Phuc/ long gone

5. room/ used by Grammar 2 class/ haunted/ a pretty ghost in

a white dress
1. Hong Ngoc is the guy who always sits next to Huy.
2. Thu Le zoo is the place where Sally and Tony often
spend their weekend.
3. Caisey’s boyfriend, who spends lots of time and
money on beauty products, denies that he’s a
metrosexual.
4. The time when Lizzie had a crush on PM Nguyen Xuan
Phuc is long gone.
5. The room which is used by Grammar 2 class is haunted
by a pretty ghost in a white dress.

In which sentence(s) can the relative pronoun be

omitted?
Mr. Peck is visiting his son in Pittsburg this
weekend. The son, who is in his thirties, is
working for a renowned law firm.

Mrs. Davies is visiting her daughters in New York

this weekend. She’s staying with the daughter
who owns a big house in Manhattan.
Exercise 35 p.286
Listening Exe 36 p.286
“Your Secret is Out!”
 Reducing adjective clauses to
adjective phrases
• Adj clause: The girl who always sits next to
me is Lady Gaga.
 The girl sitting next to me is Lady Gaga.
• Adj clause: The ideas which are presented in
that book are good.
 The ideas presented in that book are good.
• Adj clause: The girl (whom) Richard spoke to
is a ladyboy.  this clause CANNOT be
reduced.
 Reducing adjective clauses to
adjective phrases
• Only adjective clauses that have a subject
pronoun – who/ which/ that – can be
reduced.
• If the verb is “be”
 Omit the pronoun + omit the “be”
• …which/ who/ that + active verb
Omit the pronoun + V-ing
Naypidaw, which is the capital city of Myanamar, is
my favorite tourist destination.
Naypidaw, the capital city of Myanmar, is my
favorite destination.

The officials who are accused of corruption hold

important positions in the government.
 The officials accused of corruption hold …………
government.
Those who support Vietnam to join TPP (Trans-
Pacific Partnership) believe it will significantly
improve the country’s economy.
 Those supporting Vietnam to join TPP…….the
country’s economy.
Can these adj clauses be reduced?
a. Look! behind John! That’s the ghost that I dreamt about
last night.
- No (because the pronoun “that” is the object of the
relative clause, not the subject)
b. The woman who is standing next to Max is actually
dead.
- Yes (The woman standing next….)
c. The young man who was killed by two girls after a traffic
accident in HCMC was a music teacher and pianist.
- Yes (The young man killed by….was a music teacher….)
 Summary
1. Adjective clauses are extremely useful because
they enable writers to write more clearly and
specifically and they also make sentences more
interesting.
2. When using an adj clause to give extra
information about a noun, commas are necessary.
3. Adj clauses with a subject pronoun can be
reduced.
 Homework
• You are a tourist agent for your hometown/ country. Write a
brochure that would make your readers want to visit your
hometown/ country.
• Write about three people in your country who are popular with
young people (e.g. singers, movie starts, athletes, political figures,
etc.). Assume your readers are completely unfamiliar with them.

1. Write no more than 150 words.

2. Use some adjective clauses.
3. If possible, use some noun clauses (whether/ if, “that” clause, …)
Wondering where to go to escape the summer
heat? Wonder no more.
Ha Long, which is about 160km east of Hanoi, is
a lovely beach city with many things to offer
tourists.