1. Punctuating Adjective Clauses
A Practice Exercise

2. In the first part of this exercise, you will identify the adjective clause.
In the second part, you will identify the correctly punctuated adjective clause.

3. Click on the adjective clause.
Mr. Jerald Simmons, who is an expert in personnel management, will be tonight’s speaker.

4. Not quite.
Remember, an adjective clause begins with a relative pronoun: who, which, that, when, where.
Click here to try again.

5. Right!
Click here for the next sentence.

6. Click on the adjective clause.
The company picnic, which was cancelled because of bad weather, will be rescheduled for next weekend if enough employees are interested.

7. Oops!
Click here to try again.

8. You’ve got it!
Click here for the next sentence.

9. Click on the adjective clause.
My kid sister just adopted a cat that looks very pregnant.

10. Not exactly.
Click here to try again.

11. Yes!
Click here for the next sentence.

12. Click on the adjective clause.
Every student who has earned at least an 80% on the practice quiz is eligible to take the mastery quiz.

13. Not quite.
Click here to try again.

14. Yes!
Click here to try punctuating adjective clauses.

15. Click on the correctly punctuated sentence.
Residents who live in lower lying areas are urged to evacuate now.
Residents, who live in lower lying areas, are urged to evacuate now.

16. Not quite.
Residents who live in lower lying areas are urged to evacuate now.
This adjective clause specifies which residents must evacuate. It’s a necessary clause and must not be interrupted with commas.
Click here to try again.

17. Yes!
Residents who live in lower lying areas are urged to evacuate now.
This adjective clause specifies which residents must evacuate. It’s a necessary clause and must not be interrupted with commas.
Click here for the next sentence.

18. Click on the correctly punctuated sentence.
All the residents along First Avenue, who live in a low lying area, are urged to evacuate now.
All the residents along First Avenue who live in a low lying area are urged to evacuate now.

19. Oops!
All the residents along First Avenue, who live in a low lying area, are urged to evacuate now.
This clause does not change or specify the identity of the residents. This adjective clause interrupts the sentence and must be set off with commas.
Click here to try again.

20. You’ve got it!
All the residents along First Avenue, who live in a low lying area, are urged to evacuate now.
This clause does not change or specify the identity of the residents. This adjective clause interrupts the sentence and must be set off with commas.
Click here for the next sentence.

21. Click on the correctly punctuated sentence.
In Grandpa’s attic, we found a pile of old newspapers that dated back to 1928.
In Grandpa’s attic, we found a pile of old newspapers, that dated back to 1928.

22. Oops!
In Grandpa’s attic, we found a pile of old newspapers that dated back to 1928.
This adjective clause further identifies the newspapers and is necessary to the specific meaning of newspapers; therefore, no commas are used.
Click here to try again.

23. Good!
In Grandpa’s attic, we found a pile of old newspapers that dated back to 1928.
This adjective clause further identifies the newspapers and is necessary to the specific meaning of newspapers; therefore, no commas are used.
Click here for the next sentence.

24. Click on the correctly punctuated sentence.
Every applicant who has at least five years’ experience will be called for an interview.
Every applicant, who has at least five years’ experience, will be called for an interview.

25. Not quite!
Every applicant who has at least five years’ experience will be called for an interview.
This adjective clause specifies that only those applicants with five years’ experience will be interviewed. Since this clause is necessary to the meaning of “applicant,” it must not be set off with commas.
Click here to try again.

26. Yes!
Click here for the next sentence.

27. Click on the correctly punctuated sentence.
The bulletin should tell you everything that you need to know about next week’s trip.
The bulletin should tell you everything, that you need to know, about next week’s trip.

28. Oops!
Remember, if the adjective clause functions to further identify or specify the noun it’s referring to, no commas are used.
Click here to try again.

29. Right!
Click here for the next sentence.

30. Click on the correctly punctuated sentence.
To join the new bowling league, you should call Jack Franklin, who is one of the league’s organizers.
To join the new bowling league, you should call Jack Franklin who is one of the league’s organizers.

31. Not quite!
Click here to try again.

32. Right!
Click here for the next sentence.

33. Click on the correctly punctuated sentence.
I don’t know of anyone, who has a better eye for color, than Jinny.
I don’t know of anyone who has a better eye for color than Jinny.

34. Not exactly.
Click here to try again.

35. Right!
Click here for the final sentence.

36. Click on the correctly punctuated sentence.
I usually go to the mountains in June, when there is never any snow visible.
I usually go to the mountains in June when there is never any snow visible.

37. Oops!
Click here to try again.

38. Yes!
You have now completed the exercises for punctuating adjective clauses.