An adjective clause (also called a relative clause) is a dependent clause that modifies a noun or pronoun. Like an adjective, it provides more information about the noun it follows.
It always contains a subject and a verb, and it begins with a relative pronoun or a relative adverb (e.g., who, whom, whose, which, that, where, when, why).
| Relative Pronoun | Used For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| who | people | The student who studies hard will succeed. |
| whom | people (object) | The man whom I met was a scientist. |
| whose | possession | The girl whose phone rang was embarrassed. |
| which | animals/things | The car which she bought is expensive. |
| that | people/things (restrictive) | The story that he told was amazing. |
Restrictive (Defining) Clause:
Gives essential information. No commas.
👉 The woman who lives next door is a doctor.
Non-Restrictive (Non-Defining) Clause:
Gives extra, non-essential information. Use commas.
👉 My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting next week.
| Relative Adverb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| where | place | That’s the house where I was born. |
| when | time | I remember the day when we met. |
| why | reason | I don’t know the reason why he left. |
In some cases, adjective clauses can be reduced to participial phrases:
Full clause: The man who is talking is my uncle.
Reduced: The man talking is my uncle.
This is often possible when the relative pronoun is the subject and the verb is in the active voice.