Identify the Adjective Clause in the following sentence:
"We visited my grandmother who had returned from a world tour last week."
Who had returned from a world tour
Identifying Adjective Clauses in Sentences
An adjective clause, also known as a relative clause, is a type of dependent clause that functions like an adjective. It modifies a noun or pronoun in the main clause of a sentence. Adjective clauses typically begin with a relative pronoun such as 'who', 'whom', 'whose', 'which', or 'that', or a relative adverb such as 'where', 'when', or 'why'. These introductory words connect the clause to the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Analyzing the Sentence: "We visited my grandmother who had returned from a world tour last week."
In the given sentence, we need to find the part that acts like an adjective, describing one of the nouns.
- The main clause of the sentence is "We visited my grandmother."
- The noun being described is "grandmother".
- The phrase "who had returned from a world tour last week" provides more information about the grandmother. It tells us which grandmother we visited – the one who returned from a world tour last week.
- This phrase starts with the relative pronoun "who", which refers back to "grandmother".
- It contains a subject ("who", acting as the subject) and a verb ("had returned").
- Because it starts with a relative pronoun, contains a subject and verb, and modifies the noun "grandmother", "who had returned from a world tour last week" is acting as an adjective clause.
Evaluating the Options
Let's look at the provided options to see which one correctly identifies the adjective clause.
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"We visited my grandmother"
This is the main clause of the sentence. It contains the subject "We" and the verb "visited". It is an independent clause and does not function as an adjective modifying another noun.
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"Who had returned"
This phrase starts with the relative pronoun "who" and contains the verb "had returned". It is part of the adjective clause modifying "grandmother", but it is not the complete clause. The clause continues to explain *what* the grandmother had returned from.
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"Who had returned from a world tour"
This phrase starts with the relative pronoun "who", refers back to "grandmother", contains a subject ("who") and a verb ("had returned"), and includes the phrase "from a world tour" which completes the description of the grandmother's return. This entire phrase modifies the noun "grandmother". This is the complete adjective clause.
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"From a world tour last week"
This phrase is a prepositional phrase ("from a world tour") combined with an adverbial phrase ("last week"). It tells us more about *when* and *from where* she returned, modifying the verb "returned", not the noun "grandmother" directly. It is not a clause because it does not contain a subject and verb acting as a clause.
Conclusion
Based on the analysis, the phrase "Who had returned from a world tour" functions as an adjective clause modifying the noun "grandmother". It correctly includes the relative pronoun, the subject and verb within the clause, and the modifying information about the grandmother.
| Part of Sentence | Type | Function |
|---|---|---|
| We visited my grandmother | Independent Clause | Main part of the sentence |
| who had returned from a world tour | Dependent Clause (Adjective Clause) | Modifies "grandmother" |
| last week | Adverbial Phrase | Modifies "returned" (indicates time) |
Revision Table: Key Clause Concepts
| Clause Type | Function | Starts With | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Clause | Can stand alone as a complete sentence | Subject + Verb | She smiled. |
| Dependent Clause | Cannot stand alone; relies on an independent clause | Subordinating Conjunction (e.g., because, although) OR Relative Pronoun (e.g., who, which, that) | because she was happy (Adverb Clause) <br>who was smiling (Adjective Clause) |
| Adjective Clause | Modifies a noun or pronoun | Relative Pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, that) or Relative Adverb (where, when, why) | The person who called is here. |
| Adverb Clause | Modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb; answers questions like how, when, where, why | Subordinating Conjunction (e.g., because, although, since, when, while, if) | We left when the rain stopped. |
| Noun Clause | Functions as a noun (subject, object, complement) | Words like that, what, whatever, who, whoever, whom, whomever, which, whichever, how, when, where, whether, why | I know that you are right. (Direct Object) |
Additional Information: Relative Pronouns and Adjective Clauses
Adjective clauses are typically introduced by relative pronouns. Understanding relative pronouns helps in identifying these clauses.
- Who: Used for people (subject). Example: The student who studies hard passes.
- Whom: Used for people (object). Example: The person whom you met is my friend.
- Whose: Used to show possession for people, animals, or things. Example: The author whose book I read is famous.
- Which: Used for animals or things (subject or object). Example: The car, which is red, is fast.
- That: Used for people, animals, or things (subject or object). Can sometimes be omitted. Example: This is the book that I was reading. (Can be: This is the book I was reading.)
Relative adverbs like 'where', 'when', and 'why' can also introduce adjective clauses, modifying nouns that refer to places, times, or reasons.
- Where: Refers to a place. Example: That is the house where I grew up. (Modifies "house")
- When: Refers to a time. Example: I remember the day when we first met. (Modifies "day")
- Why: Refers to a reason. Example: I don't know the reason why she left. (Modifies "reason")
The adjective clause "who had returned from a world tour" in the original sentence correctly uses the relative pronoun "who" to refer to "grandmother" and provides essential descriptive information, making it a defining adjective clause.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
The problem of conservation regeneration of Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary was solved with the initiative of:
Rabaris were:
The threat set by the migrant grazers helped in the formation of:
The involvement of local people supported the forest department to stop:
We can save our forests by using our resources:
