Lesson 251 - Parts of the Sentence - Adjective Clauses

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A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause (which can stand alone and make sense) and a dependent clause (which must be attached to the independent clause to make sense). 

 

Example: 

The television was playing (independent clause) as I left the room (dependent clause). 

 

There are three kinds of dependent clauses: adjective clause, adverb clause, and noun clause.

The adjective clause is used to modify a noun or a pronoun. It will begin with a relative pronoun (who, whose, whom, which, and that) or a subordinate conjunction (when and where). Those are the only words that can be used to introduce an adjective clause. The introductory word will always rename the word that it follows and modifies except when used with a preposition which will come between the introductory word and the word it renames. 

 

Examples: 

The student whose hand was up gave the wrong answer. (adjective clause)

Jane is a person in whom I can place my confidence. (adjective clause)

Instructions: Find the adjective dependent clause in the following sentences and tell which word it modifies.

1. I play a kind of music that nobody likes.

2. The man whom you saw was not the famous actor.

3. I remember the day when I took my first airplane ride.

4. I have a neighbor whose parents live in Australia.

5. The hint that I learned about cleaning the walk saved me much work.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. I play a kind of music that nobody likes.

- that nobody likes modifies either kind or music (a prepositional phrase can separate the introductory word from the word it modifies)

2. The man whom you saw was not the famous actor.

- whom you saw modifies man

3. I remember the day when I took my first airplane ride.

- when I took my first airplane ride modifies day

4. I have a neighbor whose parents live in Australia.

- whose parents live in Australia modifies neighbor

5. The hint that I learned about cleaning the walk saved me much work.

- that I learned about cleaning the walk modifies hint

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