Lecture 4: Adjectival (Relative) Clause

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Learning outcomes

• identify adjectival (relative) clauses
• use relative pronouns correctly
• distinguish restrictive and non-restrictive clauses

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What is an adjectival clause?

• A dependent clause that modifies a noun.
• It works like an adjective by giving extra information about noun.

• “The student who asked the question is my friend.”
• Relative clause modifies noun student.

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Common relative words

• who, whom, whose, which, that, where, when

• who/whom for persons
• which for things/animals (formal style)
• that for persons or things (common in restrictive clauses)
• whose for possession

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Restrictive vs non-restrictive

• Restrictive clause: essential info, no commas.
  • “Students who submit early get feedback.”
• Non-restrictive clause: extra info, commas used.
  • “Riya, who sits in front, asked a question.”

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Relative clause reduction (basic)

• “The man who is standing there” -> “The man standing there”
• “The book that was published last year” -> “The book published last year”

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Exam hints and traps

• If clause modifies noun, think adjectival clause.
• Do not use which for persons in standard formal answers.
• Comma placement changes meaning in restrictive vs non-restrictive patterns.

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Quick practice

1. Identify relative clause:
   • “The house that we visited was old.”
2. Choose correct pronoun:
   • “The girl ___ won the prize is absent.”
3. Restrictive or non-restrictive?
   • “My uncle, who lives in Pune, is visiting.”

1. “that we visited”
2. who
3. Non-restrictive