grammarOnline: adjective clause

Adjective Clause: When to use it

When do we use adjective clauses?

Adjective clauses are not always the first choice in writing, especially if it is a subject adjective clause and the verb is be.

If the word after be is an adjective, we usually put the adjective before the noun.

A child looks up to a father who is honest and hardworking.

A child looks up to an honest and hardworking father.

If the word after be is a preposition, we usually use a simple prepositional phrase (preposition + noun) to describe the noun.

The Tsingtao that is on the table is mine. Yours is on the counter.

The Tsingtao on the table is mine.

If the word after be is a noun, we usually delete the adjective clause pronoun and the be verb if the adjective clause requires commas. If there are no commas, do not delete the pronoun and be verb.

Tsingtao, which is a city in China that was once occupied by Germany, is famous for its beer.

Tsingtao,a city in China that was once occupied by Germany, is famous for its beer.

We also delete the adjective clause pronoun and the be verb when the adjective clause uses the passive voice.

The sun that was drawn by my daughter in school is hanging on my refrigerator.

The sun drawn by my daughter in school is hanging on my refrigerator.

How to use Adjective Clauses - Practice Questions