L E S S O N 11

Adjective
Clauses
Adjective clauses—also called relative clauses—are the most commonly tested of the three.
You will see one or two items involving adjective clauses on most tests.
Adjective clauses are a way of joining two sentences. In the joined sentence, the adjective
clause modifies (describes) a noun (called the head noun) in another clause of the sentence. It
begins with an adjective-clause marker. For example:
I wanted the book. The book had already been
checked out. The book that I wanted had already been
checked out.
The adjective clause in this example begins with the marker that and modifies the head noun
book.
Adjective-clause markers are relative pronouns such as who, that, or which or the relative
adverbs
w h e n o r w h e re .
Adje
ctive-
Marker Use Example
Clause
who Subject A neurologist is a doctor w h o specializes in the
(people) nervous system.
whom Object (people) This is the patient whom the doctor
treated.
whose Possessive
which Mr. Collins is the man whose house I
(people/things) rented.
Subject/object (things) That is a topic which interests me. (which as subject)
That is the topic o n w h i c h I will write. ( w h i c h as
that Subject/object (people/
object of preposition)
things)
Art that is in public places can be enjoyed by
everyone. (that as subject)
The painting that Ms. Wallace bought was very
where Adverb expensive. (th a t as object)
(place)
Here is the site w h e r e the bank plans to build its
when Adverb (time) new headquarters.
This is and
Like all clauses, adjective clauses must have a subject the ahour when
verb. the children
In some usually
cases, the go to bed.
adjective-
clause marker is the subject; in some cases, there is another subject.
The painting was very expensive. Ms. Wallace bought it.
The painting, which Ms. Wallace bought, was very expensive.
The adjective-clause marker in the joined sentence replaces it, the object of the verb b o u g h t . In
the joined sentence, the adjective clause keeps the subject—Ms. Wallace—wh ich it had in the
original sentence. For example:
This is a topic. It interests me.
This is a topic that interests
me.
 LESSON 11: ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

The adjective-clause marker in the joined sentence replaces it, the subject of the second original
sentence. In the joined sentence, the marker itself is the subject of the adjective clause. Notice that the
inclusion of the pronoun it in the joined sentences above would be an error.
Incorrect:
The painting that Ms. Wallace bought it was very
expensive. This is a topic that it interests me.
This type of mistake is sometimes seen in distractors.
When the markers which, that, and whom are used as objects in relative clauses, they can
correctly be omitted.
The painting Ms. Wallace bought is very expensive. ( which omitted)

The adjective-clause markers w h i c h and w h o m can also be used as objects of

prepositions: That is the topic. I will write on it.
That is the topic on which I will write.
You may also see sentences with adjective clauses used in this pattern:
quantity word + of + relative clause
He met with two advisers. He had known both of them for years.
He met with two advisers, both of whom he had known for
years.
I read a number of articles. Most of them were very useful.
I read a number of articles, most of which were very useful.
Any part of a relative clause can be missing from the stem of Structure items, but most often, the
marker and the subject (if there is one) and the verb are missing. Any word or phrase from another
clause— usually the head noun—may also be missing from the stem.

Sample Items
Cable cars are moved by cables underground and are powered by a stationary
engine.
(A) they run
(B) that they run
(C) run
(D) that run
The correct answer is (D). Choice (A) is incorrect because the pronoun they cannot be used to
join two clauses. Choice (B) is not appropriate because the subject they is not needed in the adjec-
tive clause; the marker that serves as the subject of the clause. Choice (C) is incorrect because there
is no marker to join the adjective clause to the main clause.
 Sample Items (Continued)

The melting point is the temperature a solid changes to a liquid.

(A) which
(B) at which
(C) which at
(D) at
The correct answer is (B). Choice (A) is incorrect because a preposition is needed before the
adjective clause. Choice (C) is incorrect because the relative pronoun comes before the preposition.
Choice (D) is incorrect because the relative pronoun has been omitted.

There are six types of flamingos, all have long legs, long necks, and beaks that curve
sharply downward.
(A) of them
(B) that
(C) of which
(D) they
The correct answer is (C). Choices (A) and (D) do not contain connecting words needed to join
clauses. Choice (B) does not follow the correct pattern of relative clauses after a quantity word (all).
The correct pattern needed to complete this sentence is quantity word + of + marker. Only choice (C)
follows this pattern.

EXERCISE 11
Focus: Answering structure problems involving incomplete
adjective clauses. (Note: One or two items in this exercise do
NOT focus on adjective clauses; these items are marked in the
answer key with asterisks.)
Directions: For Sentence Completion items, mark the answer choice—(A), (B), (C), or (D)—that
correctly completes the sentence. For Error Identification items, circle the underlined portion of
the sentence that would not be considered correct.

1. Most folk songs are ballads 3. Dolphins lack vocal cords but they have a
have words and tell simple
simple large, A
stories. oil-filled organ called the “melon,” which
(A) what withB C
(B) although they can produce a variety of
(C) when sounds
D
(D) that
4. In 1850, Yale University
2. After its introduction in 1969, the float established
process Sheffield Scientific School,
_________________ the world’s .
principal method of manufacturing flat (A) engineers were educated there
sheetsbyofwhich
(A) glass. it (B) where engineers were
(B) became it became (C) educated
(C) became (D) in which were engineers
(D) which became educated where were
5. Thereengineers
are thousands of kinds of
educated
bacteria, A
many of whom
are
B beneficial.
C D
 LESSON 11: ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

6. The Ringling Brothers were five 13. The instrument panel of a light
brothers airplane has at least a dozen
which built a small group of instruments
performers
A B .
into the world’s largest (A) the pilot must watch
circus. C D (B) what the pilot must watch
(C) that the pilot must watch them
7. Most beans (D) such that the pilot must watch
are a form of kidney them
bean. 14. A keystone species is a species of plants
(A) that are cultivated in the United
or animals absence has a major
(B) States their cultivation in the United
(C) States effect on an ecological
system.
(D) are cultivated in the United States (A) that its
they they are cultivated in the United (B) its
8. In addition
States to being a naturalist, Stewart (C) whose
E. White was a writer (D) with
the struggle for survival on its
the
American frontier. 15. Active stocks are stocks they are
frequently A B C
(A) whose novels describe bought and sold.
(B) he describes in his novels D
(C) his novels describe
(D) who, describing in his 16. Pipettes are glass tubes, open at both
novels ends, A
9. Diamonds are often found in rock forma- which chemists use them to
tions called pipes, transfer
B small C
the throats of extinct volumes of
volcanoes. liquid.
(A) in which they D
(B) resemble which 17. The size and shape of a nail depends
(C) resemble primarily on the function
(D) there is a resemblance intended.
to they resemble
10. William Samuel Johnson, who helped (A) which it is
write (B) for which
A B
the Constitution, become the first (C) it is which
president C D (D) it is for
of Columbia University in for which
1787. 18. GeneisKrupa had one of the few big band
A B
11. Seals appear clumsy on the land, that was centered on a
are able to move short drummer.
C D
dis-
tances faster than most people can
run. 19. In geometry, a tangent is a straight line
(A) but they a curve at only one
(B) which point.
(C) they they (A) it touches
(D) which (B) whose
(C) touching its
12. The Pritzker Prize is given every year (D) touching
to A that touches
architects their work benefits 20. There are many species of plants
humanity and B C and
A B
the animals that they are peculiar to
environment
D Hawaii. C D
.