Noun, Adjective, and Adverb Clauses:Noun, Adjective, and Adverb Clauses:Also Known as Dependent Clauses!Also Known as Dependent Clauses!

GrammarGrammarEleventh Grade American LiteratureEleventh Grade American Literature

Ms. PennellMs. Pennell

Noun Clauses …Noun Clauses …

A noun clause is a subordinate A noun clause is a subordinate clause that acts as a noun.clause that acts as a noun.Usually start with a relative Usually start with a relative

pronounpronounRelative Pronouns: that, which, Relative Pronouns: that, which,

who, whom, whosewho, whom, whoseActs like a noun or an adjectiveActs like a noun or an adjective

Functions in Functions in SentencesSentences

ExamplesExamples

SubjectSubject Whoever travels the Whoever travels the Chattahoochee River Chattahoochee River follows the follows the yellow rafts gently floating down a yellow rafts gently floating down a peaceful track.peaceful track.

Direct ObjectDirect Object You must pack You must pack whatever you will whatever you will need.need.

Indirect ObjectIndirect Object You should give You should give whoever waits at whoever waits at the camp the camp a copy of your route.a copy of your route.

Object of a Object of a PrepositionPreposition

Robert Campbell settled trading Robert Campbell settled trading camps in camps in whatever regions the whatever regions the Hudson’s Bay Company sent him.Hudson’s Bay Company sent him.

Predicate Predicate NominativeNominative(is a noun or pronoun that (is a noun or pronoun that appears with a linking verb appears with a linking verb and renames, identifies, or and renames, identifies, or explains the subject)explains the subject)

At 40, Campbell’s most notable At 40, Campbell’s most notable achievement was achievement was that he that he established Fort Selkirk.established Fort Selkirk.

Adjective ClausesAdjective Clauses

An An adjective clauseadjective clause is a is a subordinate clause that modifies a subordinate clause that modifies a noun or pronoun by telling noun or pronoun by telling what kind what kind or or which one. which one. Adjective clauses act Adjective clauses act like adjectives.like adjectives. Usually connected to the word it Usually connected to the word it

modifies by one of the relative pronouns modifies by one of the relative pronouns (that which, who, whom, or whose).(that which, who, whom, or whose).

Sometimes, it is connected by a relative Sometimes, it is connected by a relative adverb (after, before, since, when, adverb (after, before, since, when, where, or why).where, or why).

Examples of Adjective Examples of Adjective ClausesClauses

Arctic winters, Arctic winters, which are which are long and cold, long and cold, are severe.are severe.

The arctic is a region The arctic is a region where where life is difficult.life is difficult.

She likes the guy She likes the guy who sits in who sits in front of her.front of her.

Essential and Nonessential Essential and Nonessential Adjective ClausesAdjective Clauses

An adjective clause that is An adjective clause that is nonessential to the basic nonessential to the basic meaning of a sentence is set off meaning of a sentence is set off by commas. by commas. The ship, The ship, which was a nuclear which was a nuclear

submarine, submarine, became the first became the first vessel to pass beneath the North vessel to pass beneath the North Pole.Pole.

Example of an Essential Example of an Essential Adjective ClauseAdjective Clause

Essential adjective clauses are Essential adjective clauses are notnot set off by commas. set off by commas.

The first vessel The first vessel that passed that passed beneath the North Polebeneath the North Pole was a was a nuclear submarine.nuclear submarine.

Practical Use of Adjective Practical Use of Adjective ClausesClauses By using either a nonessential or an By using either a nonessential or an

essential adjective clause, you can essential adjective clause, you can often combine the ideas from two often combine the ideas from two sentences into one.sentences into one. The The ArktikaArktika was the first surface ship to was the first surface ship to

crack through the Arctic icepack. It was crack through the Arctic icepack. It was a Soviet ice breaker.a Soviet ice breaker.

Combine the above two sentences using Combine the above two sentences using an essential or nonessential adjective an essential or nonessential adjective clause.clause.

Solution …Solution …

The The ArktikaArktika, , which was a Soviet which was a Soviet icebreaker, icebreaker, was the first surface was the first surface ship to crack the Arctic ice pack. ship to crack the Arctic ice pack.

Adjective Clauses ContinuedAdjective Clauses Continued

Relative pronouns and relative Relative pronouns and relative adverbs not only introduce adverbs not only introduce adjective clauses, but also adjective clauses, but also function within the subordinate function within the subordinate clause.clause.

Adjective Clauses ContinuedAdjective Clauses Continued

A A relative pronoun relative pronoun or or relative relative adverb:adverb: Connects the adjective clause to Connects the adjective clause to

the modified wordthe modified word Acts within the clause as a Acts within the clause as a

subject, direct object, or other subject, direct object, or other sentence part.sentence part.

The Uses of Relative The Uses of Relative Pronouns Pronouns WithinWithin the Clause the ClauseAs a Subject:As a Subject:

thatthat is within the Arctic Circle is within the Arctic Circle

The part of Alaska The part of Alaska that is that is within the Arctic Circlewithin the Arctic Circle is cold is cold most of the year.most of the year.

As a Direct Object:As a Direct Object:

(Reworded) I met (Reworded) I met whom last whom last yearyear

The explorer The explorer whom I met last whom I met last year year has never been to the has never been to the North Pole.North Pole.

As the Object of a As the Object of a Preposition:Preposition:

(Reworded) little foliage can (Reworded) little foliage can grow grow in whichin which – obj of prep – obj of prep

The climate is one The climate is one in which in which little foliage can grow.little foliage can grow.

As an Adjective:As an Adjective:

whose whose sledsled left without him left without him

Adj.Adj.

I saw a dog I saw a dog whose sled left whose sled left without him.without him.

Adverb ClausesAdverb Clauses Adverb clauses modify verbs, Adverb clauses modify verbs,

adjectives, adverbs, or verbals by adjectives, adverbs, or verbals by telling telling where, when, in what way, to where, when, in what way, to what extent, under what condition, what extent, under what condition, or or why.why.

An example of an adverb clause is An example of an adverb clause is as follows:as follows: The Yukon The Yukon enteredentered Canada’s Canada’s

confederation confederation after a gold rush brought after a gold rush brought 100,000 people to the territory. 100,000 people to the territory.

Adverb Clauses Continued …Adverb Clauses Continued …

The Yukon The Yukon enteredentered Canada’s Canada’s confederation confederation after a gold rush after a gold rush brought 100,000 people to the brought 100,000 people to the territory. territory.

Here the subordinate clause Here the subordinate clause after a after a gold rush brought 100,000 people to gold rush brought 100,000 people to the territorythe territory is modifying or is modifying or describing the verb describing the verb enteredentered..

More on Adverb Clauses and how these More on Adverb Clauses and how these clauses function in sentences …clauses function in sentences …

Modified Words

Examples

Verb: The Yukon entered Canada’s confederation after a gold rush brought 100,000 people to the territory.

Adjective: The miner’s children were nervous whenever he entered a tunnel.

Adverb: Today’s dig lasted longer than the one yesterday.

Participle: The miners, cheering whenever someone made a strike, were excited.

Gerund: Digging wherever miners thought there was gold has left the Yukon full of old miners.

Infinitive: The tired miners wanted to relax after the workday ended.

Remember that adverb clauses modify verbs, adjectives, adverbs, or verbals (gerund, participial, and infinitive phrases) by telling where, when, in what way, to what extent, under what condition, or why.

Elliptical Adverb ClausesElliptical Adverb Clauses

In an elliptical adverb clause, In an elliptical adverb clause, especially those beginning with especially those beginning with as or than, the verb or both the as or than, the verb or both the subject and the verb are not subject and the verb are not stated but are understood.stated but are understood. Verb Understood: I am taller than Verb Understood: I am taller than

he (is).he (is). The Yukon has as many rural The Yukon has as many rural

inhabitants as (it has) urban inhabitants as (it has) urban inhabitants.inhabitants.