In last week’s post we talked about clauses: what they are, what types there are, and what grammar/punctuation problems they cause.
To review, there are two main types of clauses:
- Independent Clauses = complete sentences
- Dependent, of Subordinate Clauses = sentence fragments
Independent clauses are not an issue for this post.
There are three types of dependent, or subordinate clauses:
- Adjective
- Adverb
- Noun
This post discusses adjective clauses, or should I call them adjectival clauses since adjectival is the adjectival form of adjective.
There are two types of adjectival clauses:
- Restrictive, or essential
- Nonrestrictive, or nonessential
Restrictive, or essential, clauses are – as the name suggests – necessary for the meaning of the sentence. Therefore, they are NOT set off with commas. They cannot be left out of the sentence without the sentence becoming less clear. And they are introduced by the word that or who or whom (if referring to a human).
Here are some essential adjectival clauses:
- This is the CD that I was talking about yesterday. Which CD? The clause restricts the CD to the one I was talking about yesterday.
- The girl who is sitting in the back row is a great musician. Which girl? Oh, the one in the back row.
- The cookies that are on the table are not for sale. Which cookies? The ones on the table.
Sometimes people wonder whether or not they can leave the that out in sentences like #1 above. It’s entirely up to you unless leaving it out makes the sentence less clear. Usually, it doesn’t.
Nonessential adjectival clauses, as the name suggests, are additional information – sort of a “by the way” – and are set off with commas. They are introduced by which or who (or whom).
Here are some nonessential adjectival clauses:
- That CD on the table, which I bought yesterday, is by a new French jazz group. Which I bought yesterday is additional information. The important information is that it is by a new French jazz group.
- The principal violinist for tonight’s concert, who is sitting in the back row in front of your brother, is an amazing talent. If there were more than one principal violist at tonight’s concert, you might need that clause to identify (restrict) which violinist you mean, but there is probably just one.
- Those chocolate chip cookies in the box, which took me all night to bake, are for sale.
- That tall man, whom I saw at the museum last week, must live around here because I see him all the time. (Why whom? It is the object of the clause, not the subject. The subject is I: I saw whom at the museum. Try substituting he or him instead of who or whom. Him works, so use whom.)
Next Week: Adverbial Clauses (Betcha can’t wait!)
Arlene,
Thanks for the reminder of restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses. I enjoy seeing and hearing “whom” used correctly.
About your second example: A principal violinist usually sits in the first row of violinists, opposite the audience on the conductor’s left.
I’m not sure how you would rearrange the example.
You are very welcome. I also enjoy hearing and seeing “whom” used correctly, believe me! As to your other comment, thank you! However, I wasn’t even thinking of position in the orchestra itself. For some reason I was just thinking of a bunch of people sitting in rows (like an audience) and pointing out this person, who was a principal violinist. Obviously, I messed up because of course it sounds as if they are seated as an orchestra. AND….aren’t they called first violists anyway? Sorry about that.
I see that you still use “whom”. Over here in Europe we only use it in very formal language, such as “To whom it may concern” or in legal contexts.
What do you mean by “we”? Is it the new standard? Here, people who don’t understand how to use
“whom” don’t use it. I have heard that the distinction between who and whom is disappearing and will be gone by 2025, but I think it just means that no one cares abot speaking correctly, and it is earlier to do it incorrectly than learn it. It would be the same as everyone just using Him as a subject instead of he. People do it with compound subjects, but only Tarzan does it with a single subject.
Sorry, Don, but I disagree. In my circles we tend you use ‘whom’ when it’s the object.
Many of the kids don’t but the they, like’ often ‘like’ seem to ‘like’ struggle with ‘like’ constructing ‘like’ sentences.
Wow, a dry subject for sure–but so important to those of us who want to speak and write correctly. Thanks, Arlene!!
I know….really, really dry, and I guess I was too tired this week to even liven it up. So thank you so much for the positive comment! Next week, I promise a livelier adverbial clause post! 🙂