Clauses might sound complicated, but they are simply groups of words that add detail and variety to your sentences. Two types that make your writing more descriptive and dynamic are adjective clauses and adverbial clauses.

What Are Clauses?

Let’s rewind a moment. A clause is a group of words that has both a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a verb (what the subject is doing). There are two main types of clauses:

♥ Independent clauses: can stand alone as complete sentences (e.g., She loves to read).
♥ Dependent (or subordinate) clauses: cannot stand alone and depend on the rest of the sentence to make sense.

Today, we’re focusing on two kinds of dependent clauses: adjective clauses and adverbial clauses.

What Are Adjective Clauses?

An Adjective clause is a type of dependent clause that adds detail to nouns or pronouns in a sentence. They work just like regular adjectives, but they’re longer. Think of it as a longer way to give more detail about a noun, much like an adjective would.

Examples:

♦ Treeless spots
♦ Spots without trees
♦ Spots where no trees grew were plainly visible.

In these sentences, we describe the word spots in three different ways.

Examples:

♦ By a regular adjective (treeless)
♦ By an adjective phrase (without trees)
♦ By an adjective clause (where no trees grew)

The meaning stays the same in all three sentences.

How Adjective Clauses Start

They usually start with relative pronouns like who, whom, whose, that, or which.

Or relative adverbs like when, where, or why.

♦ Example: The teacher who loves grammar is my favourite. (Here, the clause who loves grammar describes the noun teacher).
♦ Example: The park where we met is beautiful. Here, the clause where we met describes the park).

Adjective clauses typically appear right after the noun they modify.

Related Reading: Understanding Adjectives: Making Your Sentences More Descriptive

Essential vs. Non-Essential Adjective Clauses

Essential adjective clauses are necessary to understand the sentence’s meaning. They don’t use commas.

♦ Example: The book that I borrowed is interesting. (It’s important to know which book).

Non-essential adjective clauses add extra information that isn’t crucial. They use commas.

♦ Example: My brother, who lives in London, is coming to visit. (It’s nice to know where he lives, but it’s not essential).

What Are Adverbial Clauses?

An adverbial clause is a dependent clause that works like an adverb, modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It provides more information about the when, where, why, how, or under what conditions something happens.

Examples:

♦ Jack spoke thoughtlessly.
♦ Jack spoke without thinking.
♦ Jack spoke before he thought.

In these sentences, the verb spoke is modified three ways:

♥ By an adverb (thoughtlessly)
♥ By an adverbial phrase (without thinking)
♥ By an adverbial clause (before he thought)

Related Reading: Exploring Adverbs: Types, Examples, and Uses 

How Adverbial Clauses Start

Adverbial clauses are often introduced by:

Relative adverbs like when, where, before, etc.

Relative or interrogative pronouns like what, which, etc.

Or subordinating conjunctions like after, although, because, if, since, when, while, etc.

♦ Example: I’ll call you when I get home. (Here, the adverbial clause when I get home tells us when I will call).
♦ Example: Because it was raining, we stayed indoors. (In this sentence, because it was raining explains why we stayed inside).

Adverbial Clauses Modifying Adjectives or Adverbs

Adverbial clauses can also modify adjectives and adverbs:

Examples:

♦ He was angry because he had failed. (modifies angry)
♦ I am uncertain which road I should take. (modifies uncertain)
♦ He ran farther than he could see. (modifies farther)

Placement of Adverbial Clauses

Adverbial clauses are flexible! They can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence:

♥ At the beginning: If you study hard, you will pass the test.
♥ In the middle: She, although she was tired, continued to work.
♥ At the end: He left the party after he said goodbye.

Adverbial Clauses Starting with ‘That’

An adverbial clause can begin with that, often to explain a reason or fact:

♦ Example: She was thrilled that they won the game.
♦ Example: I am glad that you are coming.

In these cases, that can mean because.

Types of Adverbial Clauses

Adverbial clauses can describe different things, such as:

Place: Stay where you are.
Time: Come when you are ready.
Cause: I am happy because you succeeded.
Condition: If it rains, we’ll stay inside.

Adjective vs. Adverbial Clauses: What’s the Difference?

The main difference between the two is what they modify:

Adjective clauses describe nouns or pronouns.

♦ Example: The man who is wearing a red hat is my uncle.

Adverbial clauses modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.

♦ Example: She sings as if she were a professional.

Adjective clauses typically appear right after the noun they modify, while adverbial clauses can appear anywhere in the sentence.

Practice Exercises

In each sentence, identify the adjective or adverbial clauses.

1. The boy who won the race is my cousin.
2. She left the party early because she was tired.
3. I will wait here until you come back.
4. The book that I borrowed is on the table.
5. We visited the city where my grandparents live.
6. You can come over whenever you want.
7. He apologized to the man whom he had insulted.
8. If it rains, we will stay indoors.
9. This is the place where we first met.
10. She sings as if she were a professional.
11. The cat that you saw yesterday is mine.
12. We’ll go hiking unless it’s too hot.
13. She’s the friend whose advice I trust the most.
14. He ate quickly so that he could catch the bus.
15. They moved to a town which is closer to the coast.
16. We will go to the beach when the sun comes out.
17. I’m looking for the pen that I lost.
18. Although he was tired, he continued working.
19. The woman who lives next door is a doctor.
20. We laughed until our stomachs hurt.

Key Takeaways

Adjective Clauses
1. Use adjective clauses to add detail to nouns: Adjective clauses give more information about nouns or pronouns.
2. Choose the right relative pronoun: Use who for people, which for things, and that for both, depending on the context.
3. Decide if the clause is essential or non-essential: Essential clauses are necessary for the meaning and don’t need commas, while non-essential ones use commas.
4. Keep the adjective clause close to the noun it modifies: Adjective clauses should immediately follow the noun they describe to avoid confusion.
5. Use adjective clauses to clarify: If a noun is vague or unclear, an adjective clause can provide more information.

Adverbial Clauses
1. Use adverbial clauses to show relationships: These clauses explain the when, where, why, how, or under what conditions something happens.
2. Use commas correctly with adverbial clauses: When an adverbial clause starts a sentence, separate it with a comma.
3. Use adverbial clauses to add emphasis: Starting a sentence with an adverbial clause can add emphasis or set the scene.
4. Show cause and effect clearly: Use adverbial clauses to explain reasons, causes, or effects.
5. Combine sentences with adverbial clauses: Instead of using multiple short sentences, connect ideas with adverbial clauses for smoother writing.

Last Words on Mastering Adjective and Adverbial Clauses

Understanding adjective and adverbial clauses can take your writing to the next level by adding detail, explaining reasons, and making sentences clearer and more interesting. By using these clauses effectively, you’ll be able to write in a way that is more descriptive.

Happy writing!

Linda

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