AdjectiveClause&RelativePronouns

Adjective Clause and Relative Pronouns

An adjective clause is a dependent clause that describes or gives information about the nouns that comes before it. - I know a girl who speaks three languages. - The language that she speaks at home is Spanish. *Relative pronouns relate clauses to nouns in adjective clauses. *Use the relative pronoun who for people, and which and that for things.

• The relative pronoun that can also be used when talking about people in general. • When a particular person is being referred to, who is preferred. -She is the kind of person that is always there for her friends. - The tutor who helps me with my English is very kind.

Relative Pronouns as Subjects of Adjective Clauses -Relative Pronouns can be the subject of an adjective clause. - Relative pronouns that are followed by a verb are subject pronouns . - Subject pronouns must always be included. * I am someone who loves doing crossword puzzles. *Words that have many meanings can be confusing.

*Relative pronouns can also be the object of an adjective clause. *Relative pronouns that are followed by a noun or pronoun are object pronouns. *Object pronouns can be omitted. - Spanish is a language (that) many people find easy to learn. - There are many words (which) James mispronounces.

*Whom is considered more correct than who used as the object of an adjective clause. *However, whom is very formal. * In casual speech, either who is used or the relative pronoun is simply left out. - The teacher (who[m ]) I like best is my language professor.