An Overview of Adjective Clauses

In the chart below, R stands for restrictive. A restrictive adjective clause defines, identifies, specifies, or limits the noun it modifies.  Information in these clauses is essential; in other words, the information it provides about the modified noun is important and helps the reader make sense of the whole sentence. No commas are used with restrictive (limiting) adjective clauses.

NR stands for non-restrictive.  A non-restrictive adjective clause gives extra information about the noun it modifies.  The sentence would make perfect sense by itself without the non-essential information provided by the adjective clause. As with all extra, non-essential information, non-restrictive clauses are set off with commas.

Read the example sentences in the chart below.  Identify the subject and verb in each adjective clause. (Remember that a clause, by its definition, must have a subject and a verb.

Relative Pronoun

Type

Example Sentences
that R The Health Alert Network is a nationwide program that provides information and defense against health threats, including bacterial infection resulting from bioterrorism.
which R The Center for Disease Control is the organization which is leading the development of the HAN in collaboration with other health organizations.
who R People who handle animals infected with anthrax or products from such animals may contract cutaneous (skin) anthrax.
which NR Inhalation anthrax, which is usually fatal, begins with symptoms that resemble the common cold.
that R  
where R People who work with animal hides and furs in areas where standards are insufficient to prevent exposure to anthrax spores should be vaccinated against anthrax.
whose NR Biological weapons, whose low cost and simplicity of design make them weapons of choice for terrorist organizations, pose a significant threat to people's health and security.
preposition + which NR Trenton, New Jersey, from which a contaminated letter was sent to NBC headquarters in New York, is not known for harboring terrorists.
when R September 11 will always be remembered as the infamous day when terrorists attacked America.
whom NR The Taliban, whom governments around the world hold responsible for many terrorist attacks, harbor extremists in Afghanistan.
which to modify idea or whole main clause NR The Department of Defense now requires that military personnel involved in conflicts be vaccinated against anthrax, which is a wise precautionary measure.
that (as object pronoun) NR Anthrax, a disease that most people had never heard of or thought about, has become a household word in the war against terrorism. 
quantity + of NR New York fire fighters, hundreds of whom died trying to rescue victims at the World Trade Center, have been lauded as heroes.

Print this page for referral when you do the next assignment, which will be a reading in which you will identify adjective clauses. You will then make a chart like the one above. Click Next Page to continue.

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