Read the following sentences:

• The umbrella with a red handle is mine.
• The umbrella which has a red handle is mine.

In sentence 1, the group of words ‘with a red handle’ says something about the umbrella. It modifies the noun umbrella as an adjective does. It is what we call an adjective phrase.

In sentence 2, the group of words ‘which has a red handle’ also modifies the  noun umbrella and hence does the work of an adjective. But because it contains a subject and a predicate of its own, it is called an adjective clause.

Definition

An adjective clause is a group of words which contains a subject and a predicate of its own, and does the work of an adjective.

More examples of adjective clauses are given below:

• Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was as white as snow.
• The house that I live in belongs to my parents.
• The dog that barks seldom bite.
• He died in the village where he was born.
• He who laughs last laughs best.
• I know the place where the accident occurred.
• He is the man whom everybody trusts.
• Where is the book that I lent you?

Related posts:

1. Clauses
2. What are Phrases and Clauses?
3. Noun clause
4. The participle as an adjective
5. Adjectives
6. Uses of a noun clause
7. How to construct a sentence having a noun clause
8. Simple and Compound sentences
9. Parts of Speech I
10. Parts of Speech Exercise