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James Peterson 1995, 2004, 2020 of 32 ClauseAdj1.docx

Adjective Clauses: Subject Pronouns What words can be used to fill in the blanks? Underline the adjective clause. 1) I gave some money to the boy ________ delivers our newspaper. 2) The car ________ is in front of my house isn’t mine. Fill in the blanks. Underline the adjective clause. 1) The student ________ lives with me is from Korea. 2) The coat ________ is on the sofa is mine. 3) The airplane ________ crashed had 25 people on board. 4) The teacher ________ teaches my math class is very boring. 5) The woman ________ sat next to me on the bus was reading. 6) The dog ________ bit me was very small. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The man is my teacher. He has red hair. 2) A baker is a person. He makes bread. 3) A giraffe is an animal. It has a long neck. 4) An archaeologist is a person. She studies ancient ruins. 5) The woman had a German accent. She talked to me. 6) The car didn’t stop. It caused the accident.

Answers are shown on page 17.


Adjective Clauses: Subject Pronouns - Definitions One of the biggest uses of adjective clauses is in giving definitions. Adjective clauses allow us to put many ideas into one sentence. Join the sentences below using adjective clauses. 1) What is a rose? A rose is a flower. A rose is beautiful. A rose has sharp thorns. 2) What is a teacher? A teacher is a person. She works in a school. Match each of the following words with an appropriate category.

WORDS CATEGORY 1) bee 2) doctor 3) gold 4) apple 5) water 6) toaster 7) hammer 8) dog 9) hawk 10) violin

a) person / someone b) insect c) drink / liquid d) tool e) machine f) fruit g) bird h) metal i) musical instrument j) animal

Now write definitions for each of the words above. 1) A bee is an insect which makes honey.

2) A doctor is a person who works in a hospital.

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

9)

10) Answers are shown on page 18.


Adjective Clauses: Subject Pronouns - Definitions Use adjective clauses to write definitions for each of the following words. What does elephant mean? An elephant is a big animal which has a long trunk and two ivory tusks. It lives in Africa or Asia. What is a mechanic? A mechanic is a person who fixes cars. Or: A mechanic is someone who fixes cars. 1) What does architect mean? ___________________________________________________________. 2) What is a penguin? ___________________________________________________________. 3) What is an accountant? ___________________________________________________________. 4) What does deer mean? ___________________________________________________________. 5) What is a tiger? ___________________________________________________________. 6) What is a barber? ___________________________________________________________. 7) What does janitor mean? ___________________________________________________________. 8) What is an optometrist? ___________________________________________________________. 9) What does camel mean? ___________________________________________________________. 10) What is a squirrel? ___________________________________________________________.



Adjective Clauses: Object vs. Subject Pronouns What words can be used to fill in the blanks? Underline the adjective clause. 1) The man __________ usually works here is sick. 2) The table __________ is in the kitchen is broken. 3) The man __________ I talked to couldn’t speak English. 4) The class __________ I’m taking is interesting. Fill in the blanks. Underline the adjective clause. Is it a subject or object adjective clause? 1) The movie __________ we saw was very exciting. 2) The man __________ I talked to lives near my house. 3) The student __________ sits next to me is from Taiwan. 4) The book __________ he took out of the library is about Thailand. 5) The woman __________ stole my wallet had long brown hair. 6) The people __________ I spoke to are from Greece. 7) The car __________ crashed was driving down Robson street. 8) The dogs __________ I fed live next door. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) A nurse is a person. She works in a hospital. 2) I like the picture. You painted it. 3) That is the man. I bought the car from him. 4) This is the house. I built it. 5) Those are the keys. I lost them. 6) A cactus is a plant. It lives in the desert. 7) That is the jacket. I gave it to my friend for Christmas. 8) The people are noisy. I live next to them.



Adjective Clauses: Subject Verb Agreement in Definitions What is the difference in meaning between the following pairs of sentences? 1) A giraffe is an animal which has a long neck. 2) Giraffes are animals which have long necks. 3) A construction worker is a person who builds houses. 4) Construction workers are people who build houses.

Definitions with countable nouns

can be written two ways:

A rose is a beautiful flower which has sharp thorns. Roses are beautiful flowers which have sharp thorns.

One rose has many thorns.

A rose is a beautiful flower which has sharp thorns.

One giraffe has only one neck.

A giraffe is an animal which has a long neck.

Definitions with uncountable nouns can be written only one way.

Gold is a metal which is very valuable.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of one of the following verbs. be boil keep live freeze take grow fix

1) A camera is a device which __________ used to take pictures. 2) Cameras are devices which __________ used to take pictures. 3) Fish are animals which __________ in the sea. 4) A fish is an animal which __________ in the sea. 5) A janitor is a person who __________ care of a building. 6) Janitors are people who __________ care of buildings. 7) Water is a liquid which __________ at 100 degrees and __________ at zero degrees Celsius. 8) Mechanics are people who __________ cars. 9) An apple is a fruit which __________ on a tree. 10) Refrigerators are machines which __________ food cold.



Subject Verb Agreement in Definitions: Exercise How can the following definitions be rewritten without changing the meaning? Can all of the sentences be rewritten? 1) An elephant is an animal which has a long trunk. ______________________________________________________. 2) Firefighters are people who put out fires. ______________________________________________________. 3) Oil is a resource that is extracted from the ground. ______________________________________________________. How can the following definitions be rewritten without changing the meaning? 1) A bowl is a dish which is used to hold soup. 2) Mice are small animals which like cheese. 3) An orphan is a child who doesn’t have parents. 4) A bar is a place which serves alcohol. 5) Iron is a metal which is used to make steel. 6) Irons are machines which are used to press clothes. 7) Cars are vehicles which have steering wheels. 8) A violin is an instrument which plays in an orchestra. 9) Coffee is a drink which contains caffeine. 10) Ducks are birds which can swim.



Subject Verb Agreement in Definitions: Dictation How can the following definitions be rewritten without changing the meaning? 1) A cat is an animal which has whiskers. 2) Carrots are orange vegetables which rabbits like. 3) A thief is a person who steals something. 4) Musicians are people who play music. 5) A coffee maker is a device which we use to make coffee. 6) Plates are dishes that we serve food on. 7) A teenager is a child who is between 13 and 18 years of age. 8) A tomato is a vegetable which is used to make ketchup. 9) Pens are instruments that are used for writing. 10) Monkeys are animals which can climb trees.



Adjective Clauses: Prepositions Fill in the blanks. Use the appropriate prepositions. Underline the adjective clause. 1) The woman ________ I spoke ________ was nice. The woman ________ ________ I spoke was nice. 2) The house ________ I’m living ________ is huge. The house ________ ________ I’m living is huge. Fill in the blanks. Use the appropriate prepositions. 1) The woman ________ I’m going out ________ is a student. The woman ________ ________ I’m going out is a student. 2) The clothing ________ we looked ________ was expensive. The clothing ________ ________ we looked was expensive. 3) The man ________ I told you ________ is standing over there. The man ________ ________ I told you is standing over there. 4) The material ________ my shirt is made ________ wrinkles easily. The material ________ ________ my shirt is made wrinkles easily. 5) The picture ________ we are looking ________ was painted 200 years ago. The picture ________ ________ we are looking was painted 200 years ago. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The store didn’t have milk. I went to it. 2) The woman was walking down Robson street. She dropped her keys. 3) The man was a teacher. I listened to him. 4) The movie was good. I saw it. 5) The company sells machinery. I work for it. 6) The doctor is excellent. I go to him. 7) The boy is my son’s friend. He has brown hair. 8) The bed was uncomfortable. I slept in it. 9) The keys are mine. They are on the desk. 10) The classroom is cold. We study in there.



Adjective Clauses: Prepositions - Exercise Fill in the blanks with an appropriate preposition, then combine the sentences using the second sentence as an adjective clause. (Some sentences do not require a preposition.) 1) That is the man. I discussed the problem ________ him. 2) The bus was late. I was waiting ________ it. 3) The vase was very valuable. I broke ________ it. Continue ...

1) The chair is broken. You are sitting ________ it. 2) The teacher isn’t patient. I argued ________ him. 3) The dog is very friendly. I gave a cookie ________ it. 4) I will give you the pictures. You are looking ________ them. 5) Politics is a subject. I am interested ________ it. 6) The show was very funny. I was watching ________ it. 7) The woman is ten years older than him. He is married ________ her. 8) Those are the children. I am looking ________ them. 9) The car is very fast. I bought ________ it. 10) The teacher is very mean. He laughed ________ me.

11) I couldn’t see the monkey. The man was pointing ________ it.

12) The university is very good. I graduated ________ it.

13) That is the woman. I want to be introduced ________ her. 14) The jail is on an island. He escaped ________ the jail. 15) You found the keys. I have been looking ________ them.



Adjective Clauses: Whose Fill in the blanks. 1) I know the woman. Her house burned down. → I know the woman ________ house burned down. 2) The man is on vacation. I’m taking care of their house. → The man ________ house I’m taking care of is on vacation. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The man has a lot of camping equipment. I borrowed his tent. 2) I teach students. Their native language isn’t English. 3) The boy fell down while skateboarding. His arm is broken. 4) I saw a dog. Its stomach was dragging on the ground when it walked. 5) The man phoned the ambulance. His wife was injured. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The man has had many accidents. I drove his car. 2) The woman thanked me. I gave flowers to her. 3) I apologized to the man. I stepped on his foot. 4) I like the dog. It is wagging its tail. 5) I bought a car. It has a big engine. 6) I know a man. His daughter is an actress. 7) He gave me a gift. I couldn’t accept it. 8) I talked to the author. I enjoyed reading his book.



Adjective Clauses: Where Fill in the blanks. 1) The town ________ I grew up is very quiet. The town ________ I grew up is very quiet. The town ________ I grew up ________ is very quiet. The town ________ I grew up ________ is very quiet. The town ________ I grew up ________ is very quiet. 2) The mountain ________ we went skiing had long runs. The mountain ________ we went skiing had long runs. The mountain ________ we went skiing ________ had long runs. The mountain ________ we went skiing ________ had long runs. The mountain ________ we went skiing ________ had long runs. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The house was built six months ago. We live there. 2) That is the chair. He was sitting there. 3) A hardware store is a store. You can buy tools there. 4) The lake was beautiful. We canoed there. 5) The island has many trees. I built the cottage there. 6) That is the bookcase. The dictionary is kept there. 7) That is the shelf. The dictionary is kept there. 8) That is the store. I bought my jacket there. 9) A post office is a place. You can buy stamps there. 10) A gymnasium is a place. You can play basketball there.



Definitions: Where What is a grocery store? A grocery store is a store where you can buy food. A grocery store is a store where food is sold. A grocery store is a place ... 1) What is a bakery? ___________________________________________________________. 2) What is an airport? ___________________________________________________________. 3) What is a dental clinic? ___________________________________________________________. 4) What is a department store? ___________________________________________________________. 5) What is a fire station? ___________________________________________________________. 6) What is a dock? ___________________________________________________________. 7) What is a warehouse? ___________________________________________________________. 8) What is a pharmacy? ___________________________________________________________. 9) What is a cinema? ___________________________________________________________. 10) What is a stadium? ___________________________________________________________.



Adjective Clauses: When Fill in the blanks. 1) August is the month ________ we have the best weather. August is the month ________ we have the best weather. August is the month ________ we have the best weather. August is the month ________ we have the best weather. 2) That was the day ________ I asked you to marry me. That was the day ________ I asked you to marry me. That was the day ________ I asked you to marry me. That was the day ________ I asked you to marry me. 3) I remember the time ________ you bumped into the tree. I remember the time ________ you bumped into the tree. I remember the time ________ you bumped into the tree. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) 1994 is the year. We got married then. 2) Do you remember the time? You broke my chair then. 3) 1492 is the year. Christopher Columbus discovered America then. 4) Halloween is a time. Children dress up in scary costumes then. 5) I’ll never forget the time. You fell off the horse then. 6) September 22 is the day. The test will be then. 7) 8:35 is the time. My bus departs then. 8) December 25 is the day. We celebrate Christmas then. 9) I’ll always remember the time. We went skiing at Whistler then. 10) 1963 is the year. John F. Kennedy was assassinated.



Adjective Clause Review Fill in the blanks. Think of all of the possibilities. 1) The man __________ is wearing the jacket is my brother. 2) The car __________ is parked near the tree is mine. 3) The man __________ I saw had a beard. 4) The book __________ I read was interesting. 5) She is the woman __________ I told you. 6) She is the woman __________ I told you __________. 7) I know the girl __________ purse was stolen. 8) The city __________ he was born is crowded. 9) The city __________ he was born __________ is crowded. 10) January is the month __________ we get the most rain. 11) I’ll never forget the day __________ I met you.



Adjective Clauses: Punctuation

What is the difference in meaning between the following pairs of sentences? 1) The students who did poorly on the test had to write the test again. 2) The students, who did poorly on the test, had to write the test again. 3) The bears which were dangerous were put to sleep. 4) The bears, which were dangerous, were put to sleep. All of the following sentences are wrong. Why? 1) Mike Peterson who teaches English lives near my house. 2) The man, who teaches English, lives near my house. 3) Tom, that is my good friend, has a nice car. 4) Alaska, that it is beautiful, is very cold in winter. 5) Christmas, that the whole family gets together, is a fun holiday. 6) Gordon, that brother died, is very depressed around Christmas. 7) Mr. Thomas, that I met last year, is very nice.



Grammar Auction: Adjective Clauses (1) Correct the sentences. Some sentences may be correct already. 1) I’ll never forget the day I started studying here. 2) The building which he lives is very old. 3) I know the man whose bicycle was stolen. 4) She is the woman whom I told you. 5) The man who I saw had a beard. 6) The music that we listened last night was very nice. 7) Penguins which can’t fly live in Antarctica. 8) Penguins are birds, which can’t fly. 9) Mexico city, which is the biggest city in the world, has 20 million people. 10) My father, who is always very busy, is going to visit me in Canada. 11) The restaurant that we went served excellent food. 12) Guatemala, that is in Central America, is a great place to study Spanish. 13) Nicaragua, which was ruled by the Sandinistas. 14) Mrs. Garcia, who is over 80 years old, does all of the gardening herself. 15) There is someone whom I want you to meet.



Answers: Adjective Clauses: Subject Pronouns

What words can be used to fill in the blanks? Underline the adjective clause. 1) I gave some money to the boy who / that delivers our newspaper. 2) The car which / that is in front of my house isn’t mine. Fill in the blanks. Underline the adjective clause. 1) The student who / that lives with me is from Korea. 2) The coat which / that is on the sofa is mine. 3) The airplane which / that crashed had 25 people on board. 4) The teacher who / that teaches my math class is very boring. 5) The woman who / that sat next to me on the bus was reading. 6) The dog which / that bit me was very small. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The man is my teacher. He has red hair.

The man who / that has red hair is my teacher. 2) A baker is a person. He makes bread.

A baker is a person who / that makes bread. 3) A giraffe is an animal. It has a long neck.

A giraffe is an animal which / that has a long neck. 4) An archaeologist is a person. She studies ancient ruins.

An archaeologist is a person who / that studies ancient ruins. 5) The woman had a German accent. She talked to me.

The woman who / that talked to me had a German accent. 6) The car didn’t stop. It caused the accident.

The car which / that caused the accident didn’t stop.


Answers: Adjective Clauses: Subject Pronouns - Definitions One of the biggest uses of adjective clauses is in giving definitions. Adjective clauses allow us to put many ideas into one sentence. Join the sentences below using adjective clauses. 1) What is a rose? A rose is a flower. A rose is beautiful. A rose has sharp thorns.

A rose is a beautiful flower which has sharp thorns. 2) What is a teacher? A teacher is a person. She works in a school.

A teacher is a person who works in a school. Match each of the following words with an appropriate category.

WORDS CATEGORY 1) bee 2) doctor 3) gold 4) apple 5) water 6) toaster 7) hammer 8) dog 9) hawk 10) violin

a) person / someone b) insect c) drink / liquid d) tool e) machine f) fruit g) bird h) metal i) musical instrument j) animal

Now write definitions for each of the words above. 1) A bee is an insect which makes honey.

2) A doctor is a person who works in a hospital.

3) Gold is a metal which is used to make jewelry.

4) An apple is a fruit which grows on trees.

5) Water is a liquid that consists of hydrogen and oxygen.

6) A toaster is a machine which toasts bread.

7) A hammer is a tool which is used to hit nails.

8) A dog is an animal which has four legs.

9) A hawk is a bird which eats mice.

10) A violin is a musical instrument which is made of wood.


Answers: Adjective Clauses: Subject Pronouns - Definitions Use adjective clauses to write definitions for each of the following words. What does elephant mean? An elephant is a big animal which has a long trunk and two ivory tusks. It lives in Africa or Asia. What is a mechanic? A mechanic is a person who fixes cars. Or: A mechanic is someone who fixes cars. 1) What does architect mean?

An architect is a person who designs buildings. 2) What is a penguin?

A penguin is a black and white bird which can’t fly. 3) What is an accountant?

An accountant is a person who manages finances. 4) What does deer mean?

A deer is an animal which eats grass. 5) What is a tiger?

An tiger is a large cat which lives in Asia. 6) What is a barber?

A barber is a person who cuts hair.

7) What does janitor mean? A janitor is a person who cleans a building.

8) What is an optometrist? An optometrist is a person who conducts eye exams.

9) What does camel mean?

A camel is a large animal that lives in the desert. 10) What is a squirrel?

A squirrel is a small animal that can climb trees.


Answers: Adjective Clauses: Object vs. Subject Pronouns What words can be used to fill in the blanks? Underline the adjective clause. 1) The man who / that usually works here is sick. 2) The table who / that is in the kitchen is broken. 3) The man whom / that I talked to couldn’t speak English.

(* whom is correct grammar, but who is becoming common in spoken English in North America) 4) The class which / that I’m taking is interesting. Fill in the blanks. Underline the adjective clause. Is it a subject or object adjective clause? 1) The movie which / that we saw was very exciting. 2) The man whom / that I talked to lives near my house. 3) The student who / that sits next to me is from Taiwan. 4) The book which / that he took out of the library is about Thailand. 5) The woman who / that stole my wallet had long brown hair. 6) The people whom / that I spoke to are from Greece. 7) The car which / that crashed was driving down Robson street. 8) The dogs which / that I fed live next door. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) A nurse is a person. She works in a hospital. A nurse is a person who works in a hospital. 2) I like the picture. You painted it. A like the picture which you painted. 3) That is the man. I bought the car from him. That is the man whom I bought the car from. 4) This is the house. I built it. This is the house which I built. 5) Those are the keys. I lost them. Those are the keys which I lost. 6) A cactus is a plant. It lives in the desert. A cactus is a plant which lives in the desert. 7) That is the jacket. I gave it to my friend for Christmas. That is the jacket which I gave to my friend for Christmas. 8) The people are noisy. I live next to them. The people who live next to me are noisy.


Answers: Adjective Clauses: Subject Verb Agreement in Definitions What is the difference in meaning between the following pairs of sentences? 1) A giraffe is an animal which has a long neck. 2) Giraffes are animals which have long necks. 3) A construction worker is a person who builds houses. 4) Construction workers are people who build houses.

Definitions with countable nouns

can be written two ways:

A rose is a beautiful flower which has sharp thorns. Roses are beautiful flowers which have sharp thorns.

One rose has many thorns.

A rose is a beautiful flower which has sharp thorns.

One giraffe has only one neck.

A giraffe is an animal which has a long neck.

Definitions with uncountable nouns can be written only one way.

Gold is a metal which is very valuable.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of one of the following verbs. be boil keep live freeze take grow fix

1) A camera is a device which is used to take pictures. 2) Cameras are devices which are used to take pictures. 3) Fish are animals which live in the sea. 4) A fish is an animal which lives in the sea. 5) A janitor is a person who takes care of a building. 6) Janitors are people who take care of buildings. 7) Water is a liquid which boils at 100 degrees and freezes at zero

degrees Celsius. 8) Mechanics are people who fix cars. 9) An apple is a fruit which grows on a tree. 10) Refrigerators are machines which keep food cold.

No difference. Definitions can be written in plural or singular form. The meaning is the same.


Answers: Subject Verb Agreement in Definitions: Exercise How can the following definitions be rewritten without changing the meaning? Can all of the sentences be rewritten? 1) An elephant is an animal which has a long trunk. Elephants are animals which have long trunks. 2) Firefighters are people who put out fires.

A firefighter is a person who puts out fires. 3) Oil is a resource that is extracted from the ground.

No change. This is an uncountable noun, so the definition can only be written in singular form.

How can the following definitions be rewritten without changing the meaning? 1) A bowl is a dish which is used to hold soup. Bowls are dishes which are used to hold soup. 2) Mice are small animals which like cheese. A mouse is a small animal which likes cheese. 3) An orphan is a child who doesn’t have parents. Orphans are children who don’t have parents. 4) A bar is a place which serves alcohol. Bars are places that serve alcohol. 5) Iron is a metal which is used to make steel. No change. Iron – the material – is uncountable 6) Irons are machines which are used to press clothes. An iron is a machine which is used to press clothes. 7) Cars are vehicles which have steering wheels. A car is a vehicle which has a steering wheel. 8) A violin is an instrument which plays in an orchestra. Violins are musical instruments which plan in an orchestra.

(in orchestras) 9) Coffee is a drink which contains caffeine. No change. Coffee is uncountable. 10) Ducks are birds which can swim. A duck is a bird which can swim.


Answers: Subject Verb Agreement in Definitions: Dictation How can the following definitions be rewritten without changing the meaning? 1) A cat is an animal which has whiskers.

Cats are animals which have whiskers. 2) Carrots are orange vegetables which rabbits like.

A carrot is an orange vegetable which rabbits like. 3) A thief is a person who steals something.

Thieves are people who steal something. 4) Musicians are people who play music.

A musician is a person who plays music. 5) A coffee maker is a device which we use to make coffee.

Coffee makers are devices which we use to make coffee. 6) Plates are dishes that we serve food on.

A plate is a dish that we serve food on. 7) A teenager is a child who is between 13 and 18 years of age.

Teenagers are children who are between 13 and 18 years of age. 8) A tomato is a vegetable which is used to make ketchup.

Tomatoes are vegetables which are used to make ketchup. 9) Pens are instruments that are used for writing.

A pen is an instrument that is used for writing. 10) Monkeys are animals which can climb trees.

A monkey is an animal which can climb trees. (a tree)


Answers: Adjective Clauses: Prepositions Fill in the blanks. Use the appropriate prepositions. Underline the adjective clause. 1) The woman whom / that I spoke to was nice. The woman to whom I spoke was nice. 2) The house which / that I’m living in is huge. The house in which I’m living is huge. Fill in the blanks. Use the appropriate prepositions. 1) The woman whom / that I’m going out with is a student. The woman with whom I’m going out is a student. 2) The clothing which / that we looked at was expensive. The clothing at which we looked was expensive. 3) The man whom / that I told you about is standing over there. The man about whom I told you is standing over there. 4) The material which / that my shirt is made of wrinkles easily. The material of which my shirt is made wrinkles easily. 5) The picture which / that we are looking at was painted 200 years ago. The picture at which we are looking was painted 200 years ago. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The store didn’t have milk. I went to it.

The store which I went to didn’t have milk. 2) The woman was walking down Robson Street. She dropped her keys.

The woman who dropped her keys was walking down Robson Street. 3) The man was a teacher. I listened to him. The man I listened to was a teacher. 4) The movie was good. I saw it.

The movie which I saw was good. 5) The company sells machinery. I work for it.

The company which I work for sells machinery. 6) The doctor is excellent. I go to him.

The doctor whom I go to is excellent. 7) The boy is my son’s friend. He has brown hair.

The boy who has brown hair is my son’s friend. 8) The bed was uncomfortable. I slept in it.

The bed which I slept in was uncomfortable. 9) The keys are mine. They are on the desk.

The keys that are on the desk are mine. 10) The classroom is cold. We study in there.

The classroom which we study in is cold.


Answers: Adjective Clauses: Prepositions - Exercise Fill in the blanks with an appropriate preposition, then combine the sentences using the second sentence as an adjective clause. (Some sentences do not require a preposition.) 1) That is the man. I discussed the problem with him.

That is the man with whom I discussed the problem. 2) The bus was late. I was waiting for it.

The bus that I was waiting for was late. 3) The vase was very valuable. I broke it.

The vase which I broke was valuable. Continue ... 1) The chair is broken. You are sitting on it.

The chair which you are sitting on is broken. 2) The teacher isn’t patient. I argued with him.

The teacher whom I argued with isn’t patient. 3) The dog is very friendly. I gave a cookie to it.

The dog that I gave a cookie to is very friendly. 4) I will give you the pictures. You are looking at them.

I will give you the pictures which you are looking at. 5) Politics is a subject. I am interested in it.

Politics is a subject in which I am interested. 6) The show was very funny. I was watching it.

The show which I was watching was very funny. 7) The woman is ten years older than him. He is married to her.

The woman to whom he is married is ten years older than him. 8) Those are the children. I am looking after them.

Those are the children that I look after. 9) The car is very fast. I bought it.

The car which I bought is very fast. 10) The teacher is very mean. He laughed at me.

The teacher that laughed at me is very mean. 11) I couldn’t see the monkey. The man was pointing at it.

I couldn’t see the monkey that he was pointing at. 12) The university is very good. I graduated from it.

The university which I graduated from is very good. 13) That is the woman. I want to be introduced to her.

That is the woman to whom I want to be introduced. 14) The jail is on an island. He escaped from the jail.

The jail which he escaped from is on an island. 15) You found the keys. I have been looking for them.

You found the key which I have been looking for.


Answers: Adjective Clauses: Whose Fill in the blanks. 1) I know the woman. Her house burned down. → I know the woman whose house burned down. 2) The man is on vacation. I’m taking care of their house. → The man whose house I’m taking care of is on vacation. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The man has a lot of camping equipment. I borrowed his tent.

The man whose tent I borrowed has a lot of camping equipment. 2) I teach students. Their native language isn’t English.

I teach students whose native language isn’t English. 3) The boy fell down while skateboarding. His arm is broken.

The boy whose arm is broken fell down while skateboarding. 4) I saw a dog. Its stomach was dragging on the ground when it walked.

I saw a dog whose stomach was dragging on the ground when it walked. 5) The man phoned the ambulance. His wife was injured.

The man whose wife was injured phoned the ambulance. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The man has had many accidents. I drove his car.

The man whose car I drove has had many accidents. 2) The woman thanked me. I gave flowers to her.

The woman whom I gave flowers to thanked me. 3) I apologized to the man. I stepped on his foot.

I apologized to the man whose foot I stepped on. 4) I like the dog. It is wagging its tail.

I like the dog whose tail is wagging. 5) I bought a car. It has a big engine.

I bought a car which has a big engine. 6) I know a man. His daughter is an actress.

I know a man whose daughter is an actress. 7) He gave me a gift. I couldn’t accept it.

He gave me a gift which I couldn’t accept. 8) I talked to the author. I enjoyed reading his book.

I talked to the author whose book I enjoyed reading.


Answers: Adjective Clauses: Where Fill in the blanks. 1) The town where I grew up is very quiet. The town in which I grew up is very quiet. The town which I grew up in is very quiet. The town that I grew up in is very quiet. The town ∅ I grew up in is very quiet. 2) The mountain where we went skiing had long runs. The mountain on which we went skiing had long runs. The mountain which we went skiing on had long runs. The mountain that we went skiing on had long runs. The mountain ∅ we went skiing on had long runs. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) The house was built six months ago. We live there.

The house where we live was built six months ago. The house which we live in was built six months ago.

2) That is the chair. He was sitting there. That is the chair where he was sitting. That is the chair which he was sitting in.

3) A hardware store is a store. You can buy tools there. A hardware store is a store where you can buy tools. A hardware store is a store in which you can buy tools.

4) The lake was beautiful. We canoed there. The lake where we canoed was beautiful. The lake which we canoed on was beautiful.

5) The island has many trees. I built the cottage there. The island where I built the cottage has many trees. The island which I built the cottage on has many trees.

6) That is the bookcase. The dictionary is kept there. That is the bookcase where the dictionary is kept. That is the bookcase in which the dictionary is kept.

7) That is the shelf. The dictionary is kept there. That is the shelf where the dictionary is kept. That is the shelf on which the dictionary is kept.

8) That is the store. I bought my jacket there. That is the store where I bought my jacket. That is the store at which I bought my jacket.

9) A post office is a place. You can buy stamps there. A post office is a place where you can buy stamps. A post office is a place where you can buy stamps at.

10) A gymnasium is a place. You can play basketball there. A gymnasium is a place where you can play basketball. A gymnasium is a place which you can play basketball at.


Answers: Definitions: Where What is a grocery store? A grocery store is a store where you can buy food. A grocery store is a store where food is sold. A grocery store is a place ... 1) What is a bakery?

A bakery is a place where you can buy bread.

2) What is an airport? An airport is a place where you can catch a plane.

3) What is a dental clinic? A dental clinic is a place where you can have your teeth cleaned.

4) What is a department store? A department store is a place where you can buy almost anything.

5) What is a fire station? A fire station is a place where firefighters wait for a call.

6) What is a dock? A dock is a place where a boat can tie up.

7) What is a warehouse? A warehouse is a place where products are stored.

8) What is a pharmacy? A pharmacy is a place where you can buy medicine.

9) What is a cinema? A cinema is a place where you can watch a movie.

10) What is a stadium? A stadium is a place where you can watch a football game.


Answers: Adjective Clauses: When Fill in the blanks. 1) August is the month when we have the best weather. August is the month in which we have the best weather. August is the month that we have the best weather. August is the month ∅ we have the best weather. 2) That was the day when I asked you to marry me. That was the day on which I asked you to marry me. That was the day that I asked you to marry me. That was the day ∅ I asked you to marry me. 3) I remember the time when you bumped into the tree. I remember the time that you bumped into the tree. I remember the time ∅ you bumped into the tree. Combine the following sentences. Use the second sentence as the adjective clause. 1) 1994 is the year. We got married then.

1994 is the year when we got married. 2) Do you remember the time? You broke my chair then.

Do you remember the time when you broke my chair? 3) 1492 is the year. Christopher Columbus discovered America then.

1492 is the year when Christopher Columbus discovered America. 4) Halloween is a time. Children dress up in scary costumes then.

Halloween is a time when children dress up in scary costumes. 5) I’ll never forget the time. You fell off the horse then.

I’ll never forget the time when you fell off the horse. 6) September 22 is the day. The test will be then.

September 22 is the day when the test is. 7) 8:35 is the time. My bus departs then.

8:35 is the time when my bus departs. 8) December 25 is the day. We celebrate Christmas then.

December 25 is the day when we celebrate Christmas. 9) I’ll always remember the time. We went skiing at Whistler then.

I’ll always remember the time when we went skiing at Whistler. 10) 1963 is the year. John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

1963 is the year when John F. Kennedy was assassinated.


Answers: Adjective Clause Review Fill in the blanks. Think of all of the possibilities. 1) The man who / that is wearing the jacket is my brother. 2) The car which / that is parked near the tree is mine. 3) The man whom / that / ∅ I saw had a beard. 4) The book which / that / ∅ I read was interesting. 5) She is the woman about whom I told you. 6) She is the woman whom / that I told you about.

* “who” is becoming more common than “whom” in spoken English

7) I know the girl whose purse was stolen. 8) The city where / in which he was born is crowded. 9) The city which / that he was born in is crowded. 10) January is the month when / in which / that we get the most rain. 11) I’ll never forget the day when / on which / that I met you.


Answers: Adjective Clauses: Punctuation

What is the difference in meaning between the following pairs of sentences? 1) The students who did poorly on the test had to write the test again.

Only the students that did poorly had to write the test again. 2) The students, who did poorly on the test, had to write the test again.

All of the students (in this group) did poorly on the test, and all of the students had to write the test again.

3) The bears which were dangerous were put to sleep.

Only the bears that were dangerous were put to sleep. 4) The bears, which were dangerous, were put to sleep.

All of the bears (in this group) were dangerous, and all of the bears were put to sleep.

All of the following sentences are wrong. Why? 1) Mike Peterson who teaches English lives near my house. Wrong. Mike Peterson who teaches English lives near my house. 2) The man, who teaches English, lives near my house.

Could be correct, but probably not. More likely … The man, who teaches English, lives near my house.

3) Tom, that is my good friend, has a nice car. Wrong. Tom, who is my good friend, has a nice car. 4) Alaska, that it is beautiful, is very cold in winter.

Wrong. Alaska, which is beautiful, is very cold in winter. 5) Christmas, that the whole family gets together, is a fun holiday.

Wrong. Christmas, when the whole family gets together, is a fun holiday.

6) Gordon, that brother died, is very depressed around Christmas. Wrong. Gordon, whose brother died, is very depressed around Christmas.

7) Mr. Thomas, that I met last year, is very nice. Wrong. Mr. Thomas, whom I met last year, is very nice.


Answers: Grammar Auction: Adjective Clauses (1) Correct the sentences. Some sentences may be correct already. 1) I’ll never forget the day I started studying here. 2) The building which he lives is very old. The building in which he lives is very old. / The building where he lives is very old. / The building which he lives in is very old. / The building that he lives in is very old. 3) I know the man whose bicycle was stolen. 4) She is the woman whom I told you. She is the woman about whom I told you. / She is the woman whom I told you about. / She is the woman I told you about. / She is the woman that I told you about. 5) The man who I saw had a beard. The man whom I saw … 6) The music that we listened last night was very nice. The music that we listened to last night was very nice. / The music which we listened to last night was very nice. / The music to which we listened last night was very nice. 7) Penguins which can’t fly live in Antarctica. Penguins, which can’t fly, live in Antarctica. (All penguins can’t fly.) 8) Penguins are birds, which can’t fly. Penguins are birds which can’t fly. (Most birds can fly, but penguins are birds that can’t fly.) 9) Mexico city, which is the biggest city in the world, has 20 million people. 10) My father, who is always very busy, is going to visit me in Canada. 11) The restaurant that we went served excellent food. The restaurant that we went to served excellent food. / The restaurant which we went to served excellent food. / The restaurant where we went served excellent foot. / The restaurant to which we went served excellent food. 12) Guatemala, that is in Central America, is a great place to study Spanish. Guatemala, which is in Central America, is a great place to study Spanish. 13) Nicaragua, which was ruled by the Sandinistas. This is not a complete sentence. Nicaragua, which was ruled by the Sandinistas, shares a border with Costa Rica and Honduras. 14) Mrs. Garcia, who is over 80 years old, does all of the gardening herself. 15) There is someone whom I want you to meet.

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