Download Subordinate Clauses

Adjective Clauses
A Type of Subordinate Clause
Review of
Subordinate Clauses
• Clause
– Has a subject (noun) and a verb (what the
noun does)
• Ex. Steve fell.
• Subordinate
– Means “subservient to” or “dependent on,” like
a servant of the king
Independent Clause
• Independent clauses are the kings
– they don’t need anybody
– they can stand alone and make sense
– they are the main man
Subordinate Clauses
• Subordinate clauses are the servants
– they are servants to independent clauses, the
kings
– they do not make any sense on their own
– they are extra
• Independent clause
– the main man
• Subordinate clause
(dependent clause)
– needs the king
– extra
A store must reorder
stock
before a product runs
out
A store must reorder stock before a product runs out.
main sentence
needs the king
independent clause
subordinate clause
INDEPENDENT
subject
verb
SUBORDINATE
subject verb
A store must reorder stock before a product runs out.
but the king can stand alone
and the servant needs the
king
They are both CLAUSES because they
both have a subject and a verb.
INDEPENDENT
subject
verb
SUBORDINATE
subject verb
A store must reorder stock before a product runs out.
but the king can stand alone
and the servant needs the
king
They are both CLAUSES because they
both have a subject and a verb.
• An adjective clause is one type of
subordinate (
) clause.
– It is just what it sounds like—a clause that is
used like an adjective.
– An adjective is a modifier for a noun or
pronoun. For example: The big man.
– Therefore, an adjective clause describes a
noun or pronoun as well.
– It answers the questions “Which one?” and
“What kind?”
Ways to spot adjective clauses
1. They are subordinate —they have a
SUBJECT and a VERB but they cannot
stand alone.
2. They must be after or in the middle of an
independent clause
3. They describe a noun that is part of the
4. They begin with subordinating
conjunctions like:
who, whom, whose, that, which
INDEPENDENT
subject
verb
ADJ. CLAUSE
noun
subject
One kind of spider in Australia makes a web that people
verb
the king can stand alone
use as a fishing net.
Look for the subjects and verbs.
the servant
needs the king
Underline the adjective clause
Put a crown above the independent clause
& a frowny face above the adj. clause.
Puerto Rico is one country where salt is mined.
Underline the adjective clause
Put a crown above the independent clause
& a frowny face above the adj. clause.
The host who entertains a friend is happy.
What is the purpose?
…to know when and where to use commas.
• No commas are used with an adjective clause
that contains information essential to identify a
person, place, or thing. An essential clause
usually begins with the subordinating
conjunction that.
• A comma or commas should set off an adjective
clause that is nonessential. A clause is
nonessential if we can remove it and still tell
which person or thing the writer is talking about.
What is the purpose?
Is the adjective clause essential or nonessential?
The host who entertains a friend is happy.
Essential.
Without it, which host are we talking about?
the host who gets beat up by his guests?
Probably not.
It is essential, so NO COMMAS.
Underline the adjective clause
Is the adjective clause essential or nonessential?
Friedman,who was a man of action,disappeared
into his laboratory.
Nonessential.
Without it, we still know we’re talking about
Friedman.
It is just extra information, so ADD COMMAS.