STRUCTURE 87

Srcrr 9: ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTORS

An adjective clause describes a noun. Because the clause is an adjective, it is posi-
tioned directlv after the noun that it describes.

This is the
ADJEC:IIVE CTAL-Sts

The house ls quite expensive.

In the first example, there are two clauses: this is the subiect of the verb ls, and 1
is the subject of the verb want. That is the adjective clause connector that joins
these two clauses, and the adjective clause that I want to buy describes the noun
house.
In the second example, there are also two clauses: house is the subject of the
verb ls, and 1 is the sub.ject of the verb tvant In this sentence also, that is the adjec-
tive ciause connector that joins these two clauses, and the adjective clause that I
wc:nt to buy describes the noun house.
The following example shows how these sentence patterns could be tested in
the Structure section of the TOEFL test.

Example
The job started vesterdav was rather difficult.
(A) rvhen
(B) u'as
(C) after
(D) that he

In this example, you should notice quickh' that there are two clauses: job is the
subject of the verb r.t,as, and the verb started needs a subject. Because there are
two clauses, a connector is also needed. Answers (A) and (C) have connectors, but
there are no subjects, so these answers are not correct. Answer (B) changes started
into a passive verb; in this case the sentence u'ould have one subject and two
verbs, so answer'(B) is not correct. The best ansr,r''er to this question is answer (D).
The correct sentence should say: The job tlnt he started ltesterduy was rather diffi-
ctilt. In this sentence job is the subject of the verb r,rras, he is the subject of the
verb slarted, and the connector that ioins these two clauses.
88 STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

The foliora'ing chart lists the adiective clause connectors and the sentence pat-
terns r-rsed r,r'ith them.

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTORS

whom which that

(for people) (for things) (for people or things)

SV adjective clause
connector SV
I like the dress thot you are wearing.

s adjective
connector SVV
The dress that you are wearing ls beoutiful.

NOTE: The adjective connectors can be omitted.This omission is very common in

spoken English or in casual written English.lt is not as common in formal English or in
the Structure section of the TOEFL test.

EXERCISE 9: Each of the follorving sentences contains more than one clause.
Underline the subjects once and the verbs tu,ice. Circle the connectors. Then indi-
cate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

C l. I did nor beliere rhc storr @ he !clc! nre.

I 2. Ms. Brou'n, Gnoil aia you !g!e!!men4 for the job, u'ill start u,ork tomorrow.

3. The lecturc notes r,vhich lent me \vere not clearlv u'ritten.

4. Sallir has an appointment r,r'ith the hairdresser lr,hom vou recomrnended.

.5. The phone number that vou gave mt: .

6. She is able to solve all the problems u'hich did she calrse.

7. The dav that she spent on the bc'ach left her sunburned.

B. Nert rveek I am going to visit mv cousins, u'hom have not seen in sevcral
vears.

9. Did votr forget the promise u,hom I'ou made?

10. The teacheru,hom the students like the most is thcir histor-r teacher.

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 STRUCTURE 89

Sru 10: ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTOR/SUBJECTS

In Skill 9 we saw that adjective clause connectors can be used to introduce clauses
that describe nouns. In Skill 10 rve u,ill see that in some cases an adjective clause
connector is not just a connector; an adjective clause connector can also be the
subiect of the clause at the same time.

ADJE,CTIVE CLAUSE,

The house seems like a great house.

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE

In the first example, there are two clauses: rve is the subject of the verlt are looking,
and that is the subject of the verb ls. These tr,vo clauses are joined u,ith the con-
nector that. Notice that in this example the word that setves tuzo functions at the
same time: it is the subject of the verb is, and it is the connector that joins the
trvo clauses. The adjective clause thcLt is quite expensive describes the noun house.
In the second example, there are also trl,o clauses'. hottse is the subiect of the
verb seem.s, and that is the subject of the verb ls. In this exarnple, that also serves
two functions: it is the subject of the verb ls, and it is the connector that joins the
two clauses. Because that is quite expensive is an adjective clause describing the
noun house, it directlv follo"vs house.
The follor.l,ing example shor,vs how these sentence patterns could be tested in
the Structure section of the TOEFL test.

Example
just dropped off a package {br vou is mv sister.
(A) The woman
(B) The ttoman lt'ho
(C) Because the \\roman
(D) With the u,oman

In this example, you should notice immediately that the sentence has tr,r'o verbs,
dropped and ls, and each of them needs a subject. The onlv answer that has two
subjects is answer (B), so answer (B) is the correct answer. The correct sentence
should say The wonlatT who just dropped ofl'a pctckage lor y-ou is ntv sister. In this
sentence wonTatT is the subject of the verb ls, and x,ho is the subject of the verb
dropped. Who is also the connector that joins the two clauses.
on STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

The follorving chart lists the adjective clause connector/subjects and the sen-
tence patterns used with them.

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTOR/SU BJECTS

who which that

(for people) (for things) (for people or things)

SV adjective clause
con nector/subiect V
I bought the dress that wos on sale.

ctau5e
s con nector/subiect V V
The dress that was on sale was beautiful.

NOTE: Although adjective clause connectors (Skill 9) can be omitted in informal English,
adjective clause connector/subjects (skill 10) can never be omitted.

EXERCISE 10: Each of the follou,ing sentences contains more than one clause.
Underline the subjects once and the verbs trvice. Circle the connectors. Then indi-
cate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

-C 1. The qb!4l9" @ u'ere vaccinated dicl not -eet sick.

I 2. I dicl not r.'o€ for the politician Sbg he iust n,on the election.

3. The dog that barking belongs to mv neighbor.

4. I took tu,o ol'the blue pills;, u,hich \\'ere very effective.

5. We rented an apartment fr-om the landlord rvho does he or,,,n the buildings on

Maole Street.

6. She for-eot to attend the meeting rvhich it began at 1 1:00.

7. Anr.'student r,r,ho does not turn in the paper b-v Friday'u,ill fail the class.

8. The people rvhich came in late had to sit at the back.

9. The courses that satist-n- the graduation requirements thev are difficult.

10. After dinner she r.r,ent to visit her parents, r,r,'ho u,ere living dorvn the street.

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 STRUCTURE 91

EXERCISE (Skills 9-10): Eacl'r of the follor.ving sentences contains more

than
one clause. Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle
the connec-
tors. Then indicate if the sentences are con-ect (c) or incorrect (I).

1. M-y sisters prefer to eat food that ha'e cooked themselves.

2. The boat that hit the undenvater rock sank.

3. The car r"vhich he was driving could not possiblv be his.

4. The children b,ilt a house in the tree thar i' the back'ard.

5. The cost of the trip u,hich n,e wanted to take.

6. The children are plaving u'ith the tov.s u,hich their mother told them to put
awa\,.

7. The guests who were sezrted around the dir-rner table.

8. The students ha'e to read ail the chapters r'hich ar.e on the test.
9. I reallv do not like the artists which you like.
10. The stones that they r.r'ere set in the ring rvere quite valuabie.
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TOEFL EXERCISE (Skills 9-10): Choose the letter of the word or
_eroup of
ri'ords that best completes the sentence.

l. Modern humans, rvho fir-st appeared 3. drough t-resistant plants ri,hich

about 600,000 \'ears ago, Hottto store watef in fleshv tissue.
sapiens.
(A) Succulents are
(A) calling (B) Succulents
(B) were called (C) They are succulents
(C) thev called (D) Succulents u,hich are
(D) thev t'ere called
4. Benjamin Kabelskv u,hom as
2. The first r,r",riting
--clav evidence of is --
Jack Benny, was a famous comedian
on Mesopotamian tablets. in r.audeville and on radio and
(A) rve television.
(B) that rve (A) most people's knowledge
(C) has (B) rnost people knou,
(D) that rve have (C) knoning most people
(D) the knor,r'ledge of most people
92 STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

5. that hunted other animals 8. that accompanv recllrring bouts

tended to have verr,/ narrow, sharp, of severe depression reduce bone
cun'ed clats. densitr..
(A) For dinosaurs (A) Itchanges hormones
(B) Dinosallrs are knou'n (B) Hormonal changes
(C) Dinosaurs (C) The hormones change
(D) Like dinosaurs (D) The change in hormones is

o. The first eve-elasses had conver lenses o Willa Cather is an author for
for the aged u,hc-r farsighted. her errocative and memorable vision
(A) had become of frontier prairie life. -
(B) thev had becor-r-re (A) rvhom readers
(C) trecoming (B) the praise of readers
(D) it became (C) u'hom praisings
(D) uhom rcadcrs praisc
7. Chimnev Rock, 500 feet above
the North Platte River, has erodc'd 10. Mars's tiny moon Phobos is a small
considerablv in the last turo centuries. mountain of rock that From the
(A) stands asteroid belt bv Mars'.s gravitational
(B) is standing pull. -
(C) it stands (A) u'as probably captured
(D) n'hich stands (B) it probablv
(C) the probable capture
(D) probablv the capture

TOEFL REVIEW EXERCISE (Skills 1-10): Choose the letter of the word or
group of r,r'ords that best completes the sentence.

1. is famous as the home of the 3. With of sophisticated oil lamps,

U.S. Naval Academl'. elaborate tools rvere made to cut tl-re
rvicks.
(A) Annapolis
(B) Because of Annapolis (A) appeared
(C) Whv Annapolis (B) the appearance
(D) Because Annapolis (C) the appearance \\'as
(D) it appeared
2. Some scientists think be a
planet but a moon of Neptune. 4. Fort Union r.r'as the site of r,vhat
- seem
(A) that Pluto does not principal ftrr-trading post on the
Llpper Missouri River.
(B) not Pltrto
(C) Pluto that r-night not (A) tlre
(D) that Pluto might not (B) being the
(C) r,i'as the
(D) it rvars the