10
In example 1, although she was tired is the subordinate clause. Therefore, it
cannot stand alone. Close 1977: 42 states that a subordinate clause must be able to replace a
noun phrase, modify a noun phrase, or replace an adverbial in the main clause. Meanwhile, Feigenbaum 1985: 211 says that a subordinate or dependent clause
may be an equivalent of a noun, an adverb, or an adjective. In other words, according to their syntactic functions, subordinate clauses can be classified into
three types, namely adjective clauses, adverbial clauses, and the last is nominal or usually known as noun clauses.
a. Adjective Clauses
Adjective clauses, which are also known as relative clauses, refer to subordinate clauses that explain, specify, or provide more information about a
noun Azar, 1989: 238. It is already clear that adjective clauses are clauses which are used to describe a noun.
2 I thanked the woman who helped me Azar, 1989: 238. 3 The noise that he made woke everybody up Thomson and Martinet,
1986: 81.
The clause who helped me is used to specify the noun of the sentence; that is, the
woman. In 3, the adjective clause that he made explains the noise.
In adjective clauses, it is important to put the clauses as close as possible to their antecedent or the noun to which the clauses refer. Close 1977: 51 states that
it will make the writer’s exact meaning easier to understand. Thus, adjective PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
11 clauses usually separate the antecedent which functions as the subject of the main
clause with the verb. Adjective clauses themselves are of two types; those are, defining and non-
defining clauses. An adjective clause is said to be a defining clause when the clause contains important information and helps to describe the antecedent
Graver, 1981: 121. Therefore, it is unnecessary to put commas between the antecedent and the adjective clause.
4 I don’t like people who lose their tempers easily Swan, 1988: item 525.
5 The library didn’t have the book that I wanted Graver, 1981: 123. Meanwhile, non-defining adjective clause is an adjective clause which is not
an essential part of the meaning of the noun. Thus, it is separated from the noun by using commas Swan, 1988: item 528. The non-defining adjective clause is
used when the noun or the antecedent is definite already. The information contained in the non-defining adjective clause is additional. The following are the
examples. 6 Mr. Lee, whom I met yesterday, teaches chemistry Azar, 1989: 250.
7 This is Mr. Gallagher, who writes comic poetry Swan, 1988: item 528. Adjective clauses are often preceded by a relative pronoun. A relative
pronoun is a new word or phrase that substitutes a word or phrase in the main clause Feigenbaum, 1985: 217. In 7, the word who, as the relative pronoun,
replaces Mr. Gallagher. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
12 There are three things to be considered in choosing the relative pronoun.
The first is whether the clause is defining or non-defining. The second is the antecedent, whether it is person or thing. The last is the function of the relative
pronoun. The use of relative pronoun is presented in Table 2.1.
Table 2.1: The Use of Relative Pronoun Close, 1977: 51
Defining Clause Non-defining Clause
Position of Relative
Pronoun Person Thing Person Thing
Subject who
or that which
or that who which
Object whom
, who, or that
which or that
whom which Object of
preposition to whom
or that…to
to which or
that…to to whom
or whom…to
to which or
which…to Possessive
whose whose
or of which
whose whose
or of which
From Table 2.1, relative pronoun that can be used in defining clause if it
functions as the subject or object of the clause, both for person or thing. On the
other hand, relative pronoun that cannot be used in non-defining clause. Who and
which are the only pronouns that are applicable in non-defining clause where the
relative pronoun becomes the subject or object of the clause.
b. Adverbial Clauses
