Using adjective clauses correctly

An adjective clause serves the same purpose as an adjective. It gives additional information about a noun. Note that adjective clauses go immediately after the nouns that they modify. Study the examples given below.

• There I met a beggar who had no arms.

Here the clause ‘who had no arms’ describes the noun beggar. It says something about the beggar and hence it modifies it. Such a clause that gives additional information about a noun is called an adjective or relative clause.

When using an adjective clause make sure that it goes immediately after the noun it modifies.

More examples of adjective clauses are given below.

• I don’t like girls who lack self respect.
• The dog which bit the postman was killed by its owner.
• He has a daughter who wants to be a rocket scientist.
• This is the estate that I inherited from my grandmother.
• The woman that you were talking to is my boss.
• The laptop that I bought for my daughter has a large screen.
• My father didn’t like the coat which I bought for him.