Structure: Adjectival clauses - SS2 English Lesson Note

Adjectival clauses are dependent clauses that modify a noun or pronoun. They are called "adjectival" because they function like adjectives, which are words that modify nouns or pronouns.

Adjectival clauses can be introduced by relative pronouns, such as who, which, that, when, where, and why. They can also be introduced by subordinating conjunctions, such as because, since, although, and while.

There are three main types of adjectival clauses:

• Noun clauses: These clauses function as nouns and can be used as subjects, objects, or complements. For example, the clause "who is my friend" in the sentence "The boy who is my friend is coming over" functions as the subject of the sentence.
• Adjective clauses: These clauses function as adjectives and modify nouns or pronouns. For example, the clause "that is my friend" in the sentence "The boy that is my friend is coming over" modifies the noun "boy".
• Adverb clauses: These clauses function as adverbs and modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. For example, the clause "while I was walking home" in the sentence "I saw a dog while I was walking home" modifies the verb "saw".

Functions of adjectival clauses:

• To provide more information about a noun or pronoun: For example, the clause "who is my friend" in the sentence "The boy who is my friend is coming over" provides more information about the noun "boy".
• To restrict the meaning of a noun or pronoun: For example, the clause "that is my friend" in the sentence "The boy that is my friend is coming over" restricts the meaning of the noun "boy" to mean the boy who is the speaker's friend.
• To add variety to a sentence:Adjectival clauses can be used to add variety to a sentence by providing different ways to modify nouns or pronouns.

Using adjectival clauses in sentences correctly:

When using adjectival clauses, it is important to make sure that they are grammatically correct. Adjectival clauses should be placed as close as possible to the nouns or pronouns that they modify. They should also be introduced by the correct relative pronoun or subordinating conjunction.

Here are some examples of adjectival clauses used correctly in sentences:

• The boy who is my friend is coming over.
• The book that I read was very interesting.
• I saw a dog while I was walking home.