A.  Adjective clauses can be reduced in the following 3 ways:

1.  You can drop the marker (except “whose”) in an adjective clause when it is followed by a subject and a verb.

Examples:
The person whom I saw was wearing jeans.
The person I saw was wearing jeans.
The gift that you gave me was very thoughtful.
The gift you gave me was very thoughtful.
The day when we met was in late fall.
The day we met was in late fall.

NOTE:    When you drop “where”, you must add: to, at, in, on or from.

Examples:
The park where we went was north of the city.
The park we went to was north of the city.

The hotel where they stayed was near the airport.
The hotel they stayed at was near the airport.

The city where he was born was flooded.
The city he was born in was flooded.

The street where she lives is nearby.
The street she lives on is nearby.

The university where I graduated is in Toronto.
The university I graduated from is in Toronto.

However, you CANNOT drop the marker in an extra information adjective clause (with commas.)

Examples:

My sister, who lives in Tampa, is moving to Seattle.
NOT: My sister, lives in Tampa, is moving to Seattle.

(This is wrong because you have 2 verbs (live and are moving) and 1 subject (my sister) but no conjunction like “but.” to connect the 2 verbs.  It would be correct to use “but:”  My sister lives in Tampa but is moving to Seattle.)

The Nile River, which is 6,650 km. long, is the longest river in the world.
NOT:  The Nile River, is 6,650 km. long, is the longest river in the world.

(Again, the subject (Nile River) has 2 verbs (is and is) with no conjunction to connect them.  If you add “and,” it is correct:  The Nile River is 6,650 km. long and is the longest river in the world.)

2.  You can drop who, that, or which and the verb BE at the same time.

Examples:
The knife that was being used wasn’t very sharp.
The knife being used wasn’t very sharp.

The couple who were sitting in front of us were from Finland.
The couple sitting in front of us were from Finland.

The painting that had been stolen from the museum was recovered.
The painting stolen from the museum was recovered.

The tool which was used to take down the wasp nest was a long pole.
The tool used to take down the wasp nest was a long pole.

3.  You can drop who, that, or which and change the verb to the –ing form.  (present participle.)

Examples:
The islands which lie to the west are the Queen Charlottes
The islands lying to the west are the Queen Charlottes.

I remember the old oak tree that gave shade to the backyard.
I remember the old oak tree giving shade to the backyard.

The cherry tree which grows next to the barn is full of fruit this year.
The cherry tree growing next to the barn is full of fruit this year.

4.  You can drop the subject and change have to having in the present perfect or past perfect.  This can only be done when the adjective has extra information and has commas.

Examples:
The Martins, who have stayed at Yosemite every summer for the past ten years,  are familiar with the area.
The Martins, having stayed at Yosemite every summer for the past ten years,  are familiar with the area.
Johnny, who had found his lost dog, was very happy.
Johnny, having found his lost dog, was very happy.
My bicycle, which had been stolen last week, was returned to me undamaged.
Having been stolen last week, my bicycle was returned to me undamaged.

B.  Some adjective clauses start with prepositions, although it is more common and less formal to place the preposition at the end of the clause.  After these prepositions you can only use which (for things), whom (for people), and whose (for possession.)

Examples:
The car for which I bought the part was a 1954 Chevy. (formal)
The car (which) I bought the part for was a 1954 Chevy. (less formal)

Jamie, with whom I used to be best friends, is getting married. (formal)
Jamie, whom I used to be best friends with, is getting married. (less formal)

The person at whose house I’m staying is my cousin George. (formal)
The person whose house I’m staying at is my cousin George. (less formal)

C.  Some adjective clauses start with expressions of quantity.  Again, only
which (for things), whom (for people), and whose (for possession) can be used.

Examples:
I have three brothers, one of whom is a doctor.
She reads many books, some of which are non-fiction.
John, many of whose friends are still living, celebrated his 95th birthday.

D.  Reduced adjective clauses can be placed before the nouns they modify.

Examples:
Arrested for causing trouble, Paul called his parents.
(Paul, who was arrested for causing trouble, called his parents.)

Running for class president, Henry has to shake a lot of hands.
(Henry, who is running for class president, has to shake a lot of hands.)

Being very popular, Julia is invited to every party during the year.
(Julia, who is very popular, is invited to every party during the year.)
NOTE: Use “being” before adjectives and nouns rather than no verb at all.

Having saved up enough money, his older brother bought a motorcycle.
(His older brother, who had saved up enough money, bought a motorcycle.)

E.  Adjective clauses (reduced or not) are separated from the independent clause by commas if:

•    they are at the beginning of the sentence.

Examples:
Coming home after midnight, Jim had to use his key.
Not caring what others thought, Nadine got a tattoo on her neck.
Positive that she was going to win the award, Julie started to stand up.

•    they add extra information to the noun they modify.

Examples:
My brother, whom I haven’t seen in years, is coming to visit me.
Vancouver, lying on the west coast of Canada, is a major port.
The Earth, which has a rotation of 24 hours, is the third planet from the sun

•    they modify the whole sentence.

Examples:
Mary forgot her husband’s birthday, which wasn’t very thoughtful.
(It wasn’t the birthday that wasn’t very thoughtful; it was Mary forgetting his birthday that wasn’t very thoughtful.)

Everyone fell asleep on the floor, which was a strange thing to do.
(It wasn’t the floor that was a strange thing to do; it was falling asleep on the floor that was a strange thing to do.)

The teacher fell off the podium, which made the students laugh.
(It wasn’t the podium that made the students laugh; it was the teacher falling off the podium that made the students laugh.)

Study this page well, and when you think you’re ready, do the exercise below.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

A.    An adjective clause is a group of words that gives more information about a noun.  In an adjective clause there is a marker (or relative pronoun), a subject, and a verb.

Examples:
The mountain that I see is covered with snow.
(“that I see” tells us which mountain)
The hospital where I  was born closed down.
(“where I was born” tells us which hospital)

B.  Sometimes the markers who, that, and which are also the subjects.

Examples:
The man who sat next to me was very old. (who is the subject of sat)
The color that goes best with green is grey. (that is the subject of goes)

C.  The adjective clause markers are:

(The adjective clause is in bold print.)

WHO  – used for people:

Examples:
The doctor who set my broken arm has retired.
I can’t remember the name of the person who helped us at the airport.

WHOM  – used for people:

Examples:
She won’t tell me the name of the man whom she called.
William, whom she loves deeply, gave her a diamond ring.

WHOSE  – used for possessions (things that belong to someone or something)

Examples:
The parents whose daughter had won the award stood up and cheered.
The next building whose exterior needed painting was city hall.

WHICH  – used for things or for an entire phrase:

Examples:
The fitness club which they just joined is close to their home.
The clown slipped on the banana peel, which made everyone laugh.

THAT  – used for people or things:

Examples:
The person that lives in that house is my best friend.
The furniture that we bought  will arrive tomorrow afternoon.

WHERE  – used for places or situations:

Examples:
The town where he was born is located in the Alps.
That’s the scene where the hero dies.

WHEN  – used for times:

Examples:
Do you remember the time when we got lost downtown?
The weekend when we went to Las Vegas was really exciting.

NOTE:  You can also use that for times.

Examples:
Do you remember the time that we got lost downtown?
The weekend that we went to Las Vegas was really exciting.

WHY  – used only after “the reason”:

Examples:
The reason why I was late was because my car had a flat tire.
I don’t know the reason why she hates me so much.

NOTE:  You can also use that after “the reason.”

Examples:
The reason that I was late was because my car had a flat tire.
I don’t know the reason that she hates me so much.

D.  You can drop who (whom,) that, which, when, and why (but never whose) when they are followed by a subject and a verb.

Examples:
I know the person who she lives with.
I know the person whom she lives with.
I know the person she lives with.

The book that he lost was his geometry textbook.
The book he lost was his geometry textbook.

I don’t agree with the choice which she made.
I don’t agree with the choice she made.

Sunday is the day when it‘s most likely to rain.
Sunday is the day it‘s most likely to rain.

The reason why I can’t stay is simple.
The reason I can’t stay is simple.

E.  Adjective clauses go right after the noun they describe:

Examples:
I once knew a man who could walk on his hands.
Vancouver, which has a growing population, is B.C.’s largest city.

Exception:    If there is a short prepositional phrase or a time after the noun, then the adjective clause goes after it.

Examples:
I didn’t see anyone in danger that I could help.
The man over there, whose name I don’t remember, is a famous artist.
The party last Saturday night, which was a lot of fun, ended at 3:00.
My history class this term, which I absolutely love, has been canceled.

Be careful.  Sometimes it seems like an adjective clause can describe two different nouns.
When this happens, place the adjective clause after the more general noun.

Examples:
An axe is a tool that you use to cut down a tree.
(NOT:  An axe that you use to cut down a tree is a tool.)
(Tool is more general than axe, so the adjective clause goes after tool.)

The day that I saw her was last Monday.
(NOT:  The day was last Monday that I saw her.)
(Day is more general than Monday, so the adjective clause goes after day.)

F.  There are two general types of adjective clauses.  One type has necessary information and the other type has extra information.

To know if a clause has necessary or extra information, ask yourself:
Do I know what the noun is without this information?
If the answer is yes, then the adjective clause has extra information and takes commas before and after it.
Also, if the adjective clause has extra information, then you can drop it, and the sentence is still understandable.

Examples:
My brother, whom I haven’t seen in years, is coming to visit.
I know who my brother is and don’t need the information “whom I haven’t seen in years.”  Also, I can drop the adjective clause (My brother is coming to visit.), and the sentence is understandable.
This information is extra and therefore has commas.

Vancouver, which lies on the west coast of Canada, is a major Canadian port.
[I know what Vancouver is and don’t need the information which lies on the west coast.]
Also, I can drop the adjective clause (Vancouver is a major Canadian port.), and the sentence is understandable.

Note:
If the noun is a proper noun (the name of someone or something starting with a CAPITAL letter) like Vancouver, the adjective clause will always be extra information and will have commas.

But:
The person that I want to see isn’t in his office.
That I want to see is necessary information because I don’t know who the person is without it.  Also, I cannot drop the adjective clause (The person isn’t in his office) because now I don’t know who the person is.  I need the information that I want to see.  Therefore, there are no commas.

G.  When you have an extra information adjective clause (with commas), you cannot use that.  You must use which for things and who/whom for people.

Examples:
I got my first bicycle, which was red, when I was six years old.
(NOT: I got my first bicycle, that was red, when I was six years old.)
His father, who was a jazz musician, lived into his nineties.
(NOT:  His father, that was a jazz musician, lived into his nineties.)
Jonathan, whom I met at a party last fall, is now my roommate.
(NOT:  Jonathan, that I met at a party last fall, is now my roommate.)

H.  There is a difference between who and whom, which is easy to remember.   Who is used before a verb, and whom is used before a subject and verb.  However, most English speakers don’t use whom but use who or that instead.

Examples:
The doctor who set my broken arm has retired.
She won’t tell me the name of the person whom she called.
Most people write:   She won’t tell me the name of the person who she called.
or:        She won’t tell me the name of the person that she called.
My brother, whom I haven’t seen in years, is coming to visit.
Most people write: My brother, who I haven’t seen in years, is coming to visit

I.  Which can also be used to modify a whole sentence.  In this case the adjective clause is extra information and must have a comma before it.