As a type of dependent or subordinate clause, adjective clauses consist of a relativizer followed by a clause that consists of a subject and a predicate. Sometimes the relativizer also functions as the subject. Relativizers are a type of subordinating conjunction. Relative pronouns and relative adverbs are both relativizers. Also known as relative clauses, adjective clauses perform adjectival functions.
In grammar, a noun phrase modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or describes a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase. In addition to adjectives and nouns, adjective clauses most frequently function as noun phrase modifiers in English. Examples of adjective clauses as noun phrase modifiers include the following:
- The annoying dog that keeps barking belongs to the neighbors down the street.
- Calculus, which is my least favorite subject, was required for graduation.
- He who must not be named killed many witches and wizards.
- My aunt knows the woman whom you called last night.
- The man you dislike teaches several courses at the community college.
- My neighbors, whose roses you ran, party obnoxiously every weekend.
- Do you remember the time when you visited your great grandparents?
- The restaurant where we met was demolished last year.
Adjective Clause as Noun Phrase Modifier
This post was originally published on September 17, 2013 and updated on August 14, 2023.
References
Brinton, Laurel J. & Donna M. Brinton. 2010. The linguistic structure of Modern English, 2nd edn. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Hopper, Paul J. 1999. A short course in grammar. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Huddleston, Rodney. 1984. Introduction to the grammar of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kosur, Heather Marie. 2021. A Form-Function Description of the Grammar of the Modern English Language: Book 1 (Level 7). Rock Pickle Publishing.
Kosur, Heather Marie. 2021. A Form-Function Description of the Grammar of the Modern English Language: Book 1 (Level 8). Rock Pickle Publishing.
