RelativePronounsandAdverbs
refertopeople
refertoanimalsandthings
refertoa timeora place
who,whom,whose,that
which,whose,that
when,where
Anadjectiveclausebeginswitha relativepronounorrelativeadverb.
Inthefollowingexamples,noticethattheadjectiveclausecomesimmediately
aftertheantecedentscientistsnomatterwherescientistsappearsinthesentence.
~
Scientistswhostudyfossilsarecalledpaleontologists.
Recently,a friend~ofmineat theUniversityof Toronto,---------whois majoringinelectrical
engineering,receiveda governmentgranttostudyairportrunwaylighting.
YesterdayI spentanhourinthelibraryreadingthearticlefromScientificAmerican
thattheinstructorhadputonreserve.
Chapter 14 IAdjectiveClauses 231
Occasionally,otherwordsmaycomebetweentheantecedentandtheadjective
clause.
Sometimesanadjectiveclausemodifiesanentiresentence.Inthiscase,it comesat
theendofthesentence.Therelativepronounis alwayswhich, andtheclauseis
alwaysnonrestrictive.
Theteamwonthechampionship,whichshockedtheopponents.
~
Thegovernmentawardslargecontractseachyeartoscientistswhodoresearch
forthegovernment.
Adjectiveclausesareonewaytoimproveyourwritingstylebecausetheyuse
subordinationtoconnectideas.Subordination,ratherthancoordination(usinglots
ofandsandbutstoconnectideas)is themarkofa maturewritingstyle.However,
takecarenottousetoomanyadjectiveclauses.Aparagraphoressaythatisfilled
withtoomanywho'sandwhich'sis notgoodeither.
ADVERBS
PRONOUNS
CONFUSING Heleftthegiftinhisfriend'scarthathehadjustbought.
(Itisnotclearwhethertheadjectiveclausemodifiescarorgift.)
CORRECTED Heleftthegiftthathehadjustboughtinhisfriend'scar.
(Theadjectiveclauseclearlymodifiesgift.)
Positionof Toavoidconfusion,anadjectiveclauseshouldcomerightafteritsantecedent.
A.djective
Clauses
