Grammar
Adjective clauses: add precise information
The colleague who organized the meeting sent the notes. The clause who organized the meeting tells us which colleague sent them.
Use an adjective clause to identify a noun or add extra information, and choose a suitable relative word and punctuation.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
The woman who works upstairs called this morning. /ə ˈwʊmən huː wɜːks ʌpˈsteəz kɔːld ðɪs ˈmɔːnɪŋ/
The short answer
Use an adjective clause after a noun when you need to identify it or add a useful detail. Use who for people, which for things, whose for possession, and where for places. In many identifying clauses, that can replace who or which. Use commas when the clause adds extra information rather than naming which person or thing you mean.
The café where we met has moved across the street.
Why it works: Where connects the café to the place where the meeting happened.
5 more examples
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The engineer who fixed the printer left an instruction sheet.
The clause identifies the engineer by describing what that person did.
Not this:The printer,
which was near the door, needed a new cable. What changes: The commas show that the location is extra information about an already identified printer. -
I found the folder that contains the signed contract.
That introduces information that tells the reader which folder is meant.
Not this:I found the folder,
which contains the signed contract. What changes: With commas, the clause comments on a folder that is already clear from the situation. -
The student whose presentation won the prize thanked the audience.
Whose shows that the presentation belongs to the student.
Not this:The student
who won the prizethanked the audience. What changes: Who is the subject of the clause when the student performed the action. -
This is the library where I prepare for my exams.
Where refers back to the library as the place of the action.
Not this:This is the week
when I prepare for my exams. What changes: When refers back to a time rather than a place. -
The message that Elena sent arrived after midnight.
That is the object of sent, so Elena is the subject inside the clause.
Not this:The message
Elena sentarrived after midnight. What changes: The object relative word can be omitted when the clause still has a clear subject.
Read the full guide
An adjective clause is also called a relative clause. It works like an adjective because it describes or identifies a noun. Compare the laptop that is charging by the window with the laptop, which is charging by the window. The first clause helps identify one laptop. The second adds a comment about a laptop that the listener already knows.
Find the noun that needs more information
Start with the noun. An adjective clause follows that noun and explains which person, thing, place, or time you mean. Keep the clause next to its noun so that the reader does not connect it to the wrong word.
The neighbor who owns the red bicycle is moving next month.
Who owns the red bicycle describes the neighbor, so it comes immediately after neighbor.
We booked the room that faces the garden.
That faces the garden identifies which room we booked.
Which noun does the clause describe in 'The bus that stops near my office is late'?
It describes bus. The clause tells you which bus is late.
Choose a relative word by its job
Use who when the clause refers to a person and that person is the subject of the clause. Use which for a thing and whose when you need to show possession. Where and when connect a noun to a place or time.
The doctor who spoke to us explained the next steps.
Who refers to the doctor, who is the person doing the speaking.
I met a writer whose articles appear in several magazines.
Whose shows that the articles belong to the writer.
Which word completes this sentence: 'The town ____ my grandparents live is beside a river'?
Use where. The clause gives the place where your grandparents live.
Use that in many identifying clauses
In an identifying clause, that can often replace who for people or which for things. It is common in everyday writing. Choose one form that sounds natural in your sentence, then check that the clause still identifies the noun clearly.
The colleague that called earlier left a voicemail.
That called earlier identifies one colleague from a possible group of colleagues.
The route which passes the museum is faster.
Which can also identify the route. In this kind of clause, that is often possible too.
Can you use that in 'The phone that is on the desk is mine'?
Yes. The clause identifies which phone you mean, so that is suitable.
Use commas for extra information
Use commas when the noun is already identified and the clause adds a comment about it. Do not use that in this type of clause. If you remove the clause, the reader should still know which person or thing the sentence means.
My brother, who lives in Glasgow, is visiting this weekend.
The speaker has one identified brother. Who lives in Glasgow adds information about him.
The conference, which begins on Monday, has sold out.
The conference is already identified. The clause gives an additional detail about its start date.
Should you use commas in 'Employees who work late can order dinner'?
Usually no. The clause identifies the employees who can order dinner, rather than adding a comment about every employee.
Omit an object relative word when the sentence stays clear
You can often leave out who, which, or that when it is the object of the verb in an identifying clause. You cannot omit the relative word when it is the subject of the clause. Look for the subject inside the clause before you remove anything.
The course that I chose starts in October.
I is the subject of chose, so that is the object and can be omitted: The course I chose starts in October.
The course that starts in October is full.
That is the subject of starts, so it cannot be omitted in this sentence.
Can you omit who in 'The person who emailed me works in finance'?
No. Who is the subject of emailed, so the clause needs it.
Before you go
Remember this
Put an adjective clause after the noun it describes. Use who for people, which for things, whose for possession, where for places, and when for times. Use that in many identifying clauses, but not after a comma. Check whether the clause identifies the noun or simply adds extra information before you decide on commas.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "Adjective clauses: add precise information"
What is an adjective clause in English?
An adjective clause is a group of words with a subject and verb that describes or identifies a noun. It often begins with a relative word such as who, which, that, whose, where, or when. Put the clause directly after the noun it describes so the connection is easy to follow.
The engineer who fixed the printer left an instruction sheet.
When should I use who, which, and whose?
Use who for a person, usually when that person is the subject of the clause. Use which for a thing, and use whose to show that a person or thing owns something. For example, whose presentation won the prize describes the presentation as belonging to the student.
The printer, which was near the door, needed a new cable.
Can I use that instead of who or which?
That can often replace who or which in an identifying clause. It is common when the clause tells the listener which person or thing you mean. Do not use that after commas when the clause adds extra information about a noun that is already identified.
I found the folder that contains the signed contract.
Why do some adjective clauses have commas?
Commas show that an adjective clause adds extra information. Without commas, the clause often identifies exactly which person or thing you mean. Remove the clause and ask whether the noun is still clear. If it is, commas may be appropriate.
I found the folder, which contains the signed contract.
When can I omit the relative word?
You can often omit who, which, or that when it is the object in an identifying clause and the clause has its own clear subject. You cannot normally omit the relative word when it is the subject of the clause. Check who performs the action before you remove it.
The student whose presentation won the prize thanked the audience.