Adjective clauses - Grade 8 Assessment

True or False: An adjective clause is a group of words that usually describes a noun or a pronoun.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

This is true. An adjective clause, also called a relative clause, functions just like a single adjective: it gives more information about a noun or a pronoun in the sentence.

In the sentence, 'The pizza that we ordered for lunch was delicious,' which word kicks off the adjective clause?

• The

• that

• for

• was

Answer explanation

The word 'that' is a relative pronoun that introduces the adjective clause 'that we ordered for lunch.' The clause describes the noun 'pizza'.

An adjective clause that gives extra, non-essential information needs to be separated from the rest of the sentence with ______.

Answer explanation

Non-essential (or nonrestrictive) clauses are set off by commas to show that the information is extra and the sentence would still make sense without it.

Which sentence has a nonrestrictive clause, meaning it contains extra information that isn't totally necessary for the sentence's main point?

• The friend who is moving away is having a party.

• My dog, which is a beagle, loves to chase squirrels.

• A student that finishes early can read a book.

• The movie we watched last night was scary.

Answer explanation

The clause 'which is a beagle' is extra information. We already know which dog we're talking about ('My dog'). The commas correctly signal that this is non-essential information.

Read the sentence: 'The video game that we bought yesterday is super challenging.' The adjective clause 'that we bought yesterday' describes the noun ______.

Answer explanation

The adjective clause 'that we bought yesterday' tells us *which* video game is challenging. It modifies or describes the noun 'game'.

Pick the most appropriate word to complete this sentence about a person: 'My neighbor, ______ is a doctor, helped my brother when he fell off his bike.'

• who

• which

• that

• where

Answer explanation

When the adjective clause is describing a person ('My neighbor'), we use the relative pronoun 'who'. 'Which' is for things, and 'that' is typically avoided in nonrestrictive (comma-separated) clauses.

True or False: In the sentence 'My cousins who live in Florida are visiting,' the absence of commas means that *only some* of my cousins (the ones from Florida) are visiting.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

This is true. Without commas, the clause 'who live in Florida' is restrictive, meaning it's essential information that specifies *which* cousins are visiting. If it had commas, it would mean all my cousins are visiting, and by the way, they all live in Florida.

Combine these two sentences into one by making the second sentence a restrictive adjective clause. Sentence 1: The girl is my best friend. Sentence 2: The girl won the spelling bee. Combined: The girl ______ is my best friend.

Answer explanation

The clause 'who won the spelling bee' identifies which girl we are talking about. It's restrictive (essential), so no commas are needed.

Which sentence shows the correct use of commas for a nonrestrictive adjective clause?

• My new phone, which has a great camera is expensive.

• My new phone which has a great camera, is expensive.

• My new phone which has a great camera is expensive.

• My new phone, which has a great camera, is expensive.

Answer explanation

A nonrestrictive clause must be enclosed by commas, one before it starts and one after it ends. The clause 'which has a great camera' is extra information and needs commas on both sides.

This sentence has a common mistake in its nonrestrictive clause. Fill in the blank with the better word to fix it. 'Our car, that is ten years old, still runs great.' Fixed: 'Our car, ______ is ten years old, still runs great.'

Answer explanation

In formal writing, the word 'that' is generally used for restrictive (essential) clauses without commas. For nonrestrictive (non-essential) clauses with commas that describe a thing, 'which' is the preferred word.