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Hans51 Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Non-defining relative clauses also are adjective clauses?

I have learned that relative clauses are classified as an adjective clause.

I know a boy who can speak English well.

'who can speak English well' modifies 'a boy' as a relative clause but I think that it is not correct that non-defining relative clauses are classified as an adjective clause or non-defining relative clauses also are adjective clauses?


I know that there are two kinds of adjective like


He is a happy boy. -> happy modifies boy like defining relative clause.


He is happy. -> happy does not modify anything but it is a predicate adjective and I was wondering if this function of adjective is considered as non-defining relaitve clauses?


I know Tom, who is happy.

I know that 'who is happy' is a non-defining clause and I was wondering if it is also classified as an adjective clause?


What do you native English speakers think?


Thank you so much as usual in advance!



  

Top answer

I know Tom, who is happy. Yes. This describes Tom, so it is adjectival.

— Clive

  • I know Tom, who is happy.
  • Yes.
  • This describes Tom, so it is adjectival.
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2 Answers
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I know Tom, who is happy.

Yes. This describes Tom, so it is adjectival.

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Hans51I have learned that relative clauses are classified as an adjective clause.

I’d strongly recommend dropping the term ‘adjective clause’. In addition to ‘real’ adjectives, nouns accept a wide range of modifiers like clauses, nominals, determiner phrases, preposition phrases etc. It would make no sense to call them all adjectives, which is

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