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The punctuation of an adjective clause depends on whether it is essential (restrictive) or nonessential (nonrestrictive) and uses commas accordingly. Essential clauses are not set off with commas; nonessential clauses are. An adjective clause is essential if the information it contains is necessary
563:
However, if the additional information does not help to identify more narrowly the identity of the noun antecedent but rather simply provides further information about it, the adjective clause is nonrestrictive and so requires commas (or a spoken pause) to separate it from the rest of the sentence:
559:
The word "vegetables" is non-specific. Accordingly, for the reader to know which are being mentioned, one must have the information provided in the adjective clause (in italics). Because it restricts the meaning of "vegetable", the adjective clause is called a restrictive clause. It is essential to
712:
subordinating conjunction. This sentence also includes two independent clauses, "I cried" and "I didn't faint", connected by the coordinating conjunction "but". The first dependent clause, together with its object (the second dependent clause), adverbially modifies the verbs of both main clauses.
711:
This sentence contains two dependent clauses: "When they told me", and "(that) I won the contest", the latter which serves as the object of the verb "told". The connecting word "that", if not explicitly included, is understood to implicitly precede "I won" and in either case functions as a
576:
Depending on context, a particular noun could be modified by either a restrictive or nonrestrictive adjective clause. For example, while "broccoli" is modified nonrestrictively in the preceding sentence, it is modified restrictively in the following.
46:
330:) may be omitted and only implied if it plays the role of the object of the verb or object of a preposition in a restrictive clause; for example,
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and at least one dependent clause. A sentence with two or more independent clauses plus (one or more) dependent clauses is referred to as a
863:
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80:
807:
207:. Notice that some of these words also introduce relative and adverbial clauses. A clause is a content clause if a pronoun (
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A content clause, also known as a "noun clause", provides content implied or commented upon by its main clause. It can be a
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349:
The relative clause functions as an adjective, answering questions such as "what kind?", "how many?" or "which one?"
663:
883:
237:
122:
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797:
725:
296:
121:. For instance, in the sentence "I know Bette is a dolphin", the clause "Bette is a dolphin" occurs as the
802:
299:, a relative clause, also called an adjectival clause or an adjective clause, meets three requirements:
58:
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164:
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the meaning of the main clause and uses no commas (and so does not experience a pause when spoken).
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315:: the pronoun may not be explicitly included because its identity is conveyed by a verbal
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is wrong. (They are wrong. The dependent clause serves as the subject of the main clause.)
226:. (I know them. The dependent clause serves as the object of the main-clause verb "know".)
176:
134:
154:
130:
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is not a complete sentence; it needs to be completed by an independent clause, as in:
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168:
667:. (Every clause contains a subject and predicate.) Here are some English examples:
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Like all dependent clauses, it contains a verb (and also a subject unless it is a
17:
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762:
735:
316:
172:
620:, and, as with all dependent clauses, they cannot stand alone. For example,
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Preposition + Relative
Pronoun + Subject + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb)
437:
Relative
Pronoun + Subject + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb) + Preposition
529:
For a discussion of adjective clauses in languages other than
English, see
326:
or a relative pronoun . However, the
English relative pronoun (other than
612:" both contain adverbial clauses (in italics). Adverbial clauses express
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Possessive
Relative Pronoun + Noun + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb)
739:
110:
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In these cases, the subject of the dependent clause may take a non-
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The adjective clause in
English will follow one of these patterns:
839:
The
Complete Idiot's Guide to Grammar and Style pp. 153–159
183:. Some of the English words that introduce content clauses are
704:
Subordinating conjunctions: when, that (implied or understood)
29:
386:
Relative Adverb + Subject + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb)
694:, I cried, but I didn't faint. (compound-complex sentence)
373:
Relative
Pronoun (Omitted but Implied) + Subject + Verb
141:, and clauses that complement an independent clause in the
701:
Predicates: told me, won the contest, cried, didn't faint
27:
Grammatical clause adding information to a primary clause
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411:
Relative
Pronoun + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb)
514:
Possessive
Relative Pronoun + Noun + Subject + Verb
304:
125:of the verb "know" rather than as a freestanding
864:Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses
43:The examples and perspective in this article
8:
508:big brown eyes begged me for another cookie.
499:big brown eyes pleaded for another cookie.
81:Learn how and when to remove this message
344:I saw the boy about whom you are talking
129:. Subtypes of dependent clauses include
357:Relative Pronoun + Subject + Verb
746:form, which in linguistics is called
7:
681:Predicates: cried, scraped her knee
642:, he went to the Guggenheim Museum.
340:I saw the boy you are talking about
684:Subordinating conjunction: because
236:In English, in some instances the
25:
628:He went to the Guggenheim Museum
342:is equivalent to the more formal
862:Owl Online Writing Lab Archive:
570:which people often leave uneaten
555:are usually the most nutritious.
547:to the meaning of the sentence:
34:
553:that people often leave uneaten
215:) could be substituted for it.
1:
707:Coordinating conjunction: but
201:whether, why, what, how, when
716:Non-finite dependent clauses
672:because she scraped her knee
614:when, why, where, opposition
285:Relative (adjectival) clause
305:non-finite dependent clause
230:Whoever made that assertion
57:, discuss the issue on the
900:
719:
597:
587:that) people leave uneaten
288:
152:
730:Dependent clauses may be
664:compound-complex sentence
608:" and "They studied hard
837:Rozakis, Laurie (2003).
692:(that) I won the contest
678:Subjects: My sister, she
630:when he was in New York.
531:Relative clause#Examples
456:I was telling you about.
336:He is the boy whom I saw
825:Temporal clause (Latin)
798:Grammatical conjunction
726:Balancing and deranking
698:Subjects: they, I, I, I
640:When he was in New York
622:When he was in New York
610:because they had a test
606:when he was in New York
297:Indo-European languages
109:, is a certain type of
765:form. An example is:
674:. (complex sentence)
572:, is very nutritious.
311:the subject may be a
788:Responsive predicate
589:is often nutritious.
447:I was talking about.
165:predicate nominative
63:create a new article
55:improve this article
45:may not represent a
783:Dependent statement
542:English punctuation
519:That is the person
477:That is the person
467:That is the person
451:That is the person
442:That is the person
425:That is the person
416:That is the person
332:He is the boy I saw
179:, or object of the
113:that juxtaposes an
659:independent clause
647:Sentence structure
483:I was telling you.
400:That is the house
391:That is the house
115:independent clause
99:subordinate clause
97:, also known as a
808:Compound sentence
750:. For instance:
722:Non-finite clause
689:When they told me
378:This is the ball
362:This is the ball
334:is equivalent to
322:It begins with a
309:pro-drop language
307:). However, in a
271:that it is pretty
139:adverbial clauses
91:
90:
83:
65:, as appropriate.
18:Dependent clauses
16:(Redirected from
891:
852:
820:Subjunctive mood
793:Relative pronoun
754:Sit up straight
670:My sister cried
654:complex sentence
635:or equivalently
600:Adverbial clause
594:Adverbial clause
503:That is the dog
494:That is the dog
253:that he is here.
143:subjunctive mood
135:relative clauses
119:complex sentence
95:dependent clause
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551:The vegetables
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380:I was bouncing.
367:I was bouncing.
324:relative adverb
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291:Relative clause
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280:. (more common)
273:. (less common)
177:indirect object
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131:content clauses
107:embedded clause
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155:Content clause
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238:subordinator
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224:who said that
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657:contains an
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379:
364:
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313:zero pronoun
294:
278:it is pretty
277:
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209:he, she, it,
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195:(and formal
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187:(and formal
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98:
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44:
742:, or other
537:Punctuation
265:Example 2:
247:Example 1:
218:Examples:
181:preposition
873:Categories
831:References
763:nominative
736:infinitive
618:conditions
568:Broccoli,
524:car I saw.
405:I met her.
396:I grew up.
317:inflection
259:he is here
173:appositive
123:complement
841:. Alpha.
421:hiccuped.
185:that, who
117:within a
103:subclause
71:July 2022
59:talk page
803:Sentence
777:See also
748:deranked
276:I think
269:I think
197:whomever
127:sentence
53:You may
879:Clauses
769:I want
583:which (
257:I know
251:I know
222:I know
193:whoever
161:subject
845:
740:gerund
734:by an
732:headed
616:, and
479:about
469:about
454:who(m)
445:who(m)
430:saw me
338:, and
203:, and
111:clause
522:whose
506:whose
497:whose
403:where
394:where
205:where
61:, or
843:ISBN
724:and
481:whom
471:whom
365:that
328:what
240:that
213:they
189:whom
428:who
419:who
295:In
211:or
199:),
191:),
105:or
875::
738:,
651:A
585:or
533:.
244:.
175:,
171:,
167:,
163:,
145:.
137:,
133:,
101:,
93:A
851:.
432:.
346:.
319:.
261:.
84:)
78:(
73:)
69:(
51:.
20:)
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