Use Adjective Clause Connectors Correctly

An adjective clause is a clause that describes a noun. Because the clause is an adjective, it is positioned directly after the noun that it describes.

The woman is filling the glass that she put on the table.

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE

The glass that she put on the table contains milk.

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE

In the first example there are two clauses: woman is the subject of the verb is filling, and she is the subject of the verb put. That is the adjective clause connector that joins these two clauses, and the adjective clause that she put on the table describes the noun glass.

In the second example there are also two clauses: glass is the subject of the verb contains, and she is the subject of the verb put. In this sentence also, that is the adjective clause connector that joins these two clauses, and the adjective clause that she put on the table describes the noun glass.

The following example shows how these sentence patterns could be tested in structure questions on the TOEFL test.

Example from the Paper and Computer TOEFL® Tests

The gift ____ selected for the bride was rather expensive.

(A) because (B) was (C) since (D) which we

In this example you should notice quickly that there are two clauses: gift is the subject of the verb was, and the verb selected 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 selected into a passive verb; in this case the sentence would have one subject and two verbs, so answer (B) is not correct. The best answer to this question is answer (D). The correct sentence should say: The gift which we selected for the bride was rather expensive. In this sentence gift is the subject of the verb was, we is the subject of the verb selected, and the connector which joins these two clauses.

The following chart lists the adjective clause connectors and the sentence patterns used with them:

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTORS

whom (for people) which (for things) that (for people or things)

S V adjective connector S V

I liked the book which you recommended.

S (adjective connector) S V V

The book which you recommended was interesting.

NOTE: The adjective connectors can be omitted. This omission is very common in spoken English or in casual written English. It is not as common in formal English or in structure questions on the TOEFL test.