Dependent Clause - Relative (adjectival) Clause

Relative (adjectival) Clause

In Indo-European languages, a relative clause—also called an adjective clause or an adjectival clause—will meet three requirements.

First, like all dependent clauses, it will contain a verb (and it will also contain a subject unless it is a non-finite dependent clause). However, in a pro-drop language the subject may be a zero pronoun—that is, the pronoun may not be explicitly included because its identity is conveyed by a verbal inflection.

Next, it will begin with a relative adverb or a relative pronoun . However, the English relative pronoun may be omitted and only implied if it plays the role of the object of the verb or object of a preposition in a restrictive clause; for example, He is the boy I saw is equivalent to He is the boy whom I saw, and I saw the boy you are talking about is equivalent to the more formal I saw the boy about whom you are talking.

Finally, the relative clause will function as an adjective, answering questions such as "what kind?", "how many?" or "which one?".

The adjective clause in English will follow one of these patterns:

• Relative Pronoun + Subject + Verb

This is the ball that I was bouncing.

• Relative Adverb + Subject + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb)

That is the house where I grew up.

That is the house where I met her.

• Relative Pronoun + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb)

That is the person who hiccuped.

That is the person who saw me.

• Relative Pronoun + Subject + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb) + Preposition

That is the person who(m) I was talking about.

That is the person who(m) I was telling you about.

• Preposition + Relative Pronoun + Subject + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb)

That is the person about whom I was talking.

That is the person about whom I was telling you.

• Possessive Relative Pronoun + Noun + Verb (possibly + Object of Verb)

That is the dog whose big brown eyes pleaded for another cookie.

That is the dog whose big brown eyes begged me for another cookie.

• Possessive Relative Pronoun + Noun + Subject + Verb

That is the person whose car I saw.

For a discussion of adjective clauses in languages other than English, see Relative clause#Examples.