Adjective Clauses: What do you know? Learn English Grammar with Jennifer

Hi everyone. It’s Jennifer.

It’s been really cold here in Massachusetts this past week.

Winter is often the season that New Englanders love. But these brutally cold temperatures aren’t fun at all.

I’m the kind of person who gets cold easily, so I’ve been wearing two pairs of socks and three layers on my body…inside the house!

When I’m outside, I wear a heavy coat and a hat.

This one is one of my favorites because it covers my ears. It’s fur, which makes it very warm.

You just heard a few adjective clauses. Did you recognize them? Take a closer look at my words.

Can you spot three adjectives clauses? ...Here they are.

Let me ask you something. Can adjective clauses stand alone as a complete thought?

The answer is no. An adjective clause is a a type of dependent clause.

And we need to make an adjective clause a part of a larger sentence, a complex sentence.

Look at the examples again.

The adjective clauses are dependent clauses. The main idea of each sentence is the independent clause.

Together the independent clause and the dependent clause form a complex sentence.

Each clause has its own subject and verb. We use an adjective clause to do what adjectives do best: they describe or identify people or things.

When we talk about function, adjective clauses are just like single-word adjectives: they describe and identify.

For example:

We use relative pronouns to form adjective clauses. Do you see the relative pronouns in my examples?

The most common relative pronouns are who, which, and that.

Let me ask you a few questions. You may know the answers already.

First, of these relative pronouns, which ones can we use to refer to people?

WHO and THAT, right?

Second, which of these relative pronouns can we use to refer to things?

WHICH and THAT, correct? Good.

Okay. Third question. Where do we use adjective clauses? Can we put them before a noun as we do with single-word adjectives?

For example:

No. An adjective clause has to follow the noun it modifies. Usually it’s right after that head noun.

If there’s too much distance, the listener may not be able to connect the adjective clause to that head noun.

I bet you’ve heard adjective clauses before. Some of you already use them.

What I’d like to do in the next five lessons is make sure you understand and use adjective clauses correctly.

So will you join me? Will you take on this grammar challenge? I think you’ll enjoy it!

You’ve just had your introduction. Get ready for five more videos on adjective clauses!

I’ll see you again soon for our next lesson on adjective clauses. That’s all for now.

Please remember to like this video if you’re excited about studying grammar with me!

As always, thanks for watching and happy studies.