ABSTRACT
Common Core Language Standard 4.1 addresses the study of relative pronouns and adverbs. As part of a more general statement that students should master conventions of speaking and writing, this standard calls for students to “use relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why)” (Common Core Standards, 2010). Relative pronouns and adverbs introduce relative clauses, which are important grammatical concepts to understand. Let’s look at that sentence again: relative pronouns and adverbs introduce relative clauses, which are important grammatical concepts to understand. The italicized information in this sentence is a relative clause; it begins with the relative pronoun which and provides additional information to the sentence. Relative clauses are adjectival. This relative clause is actually describing the noun relative clauses; how’s that for an application of grammar?! It’s important to emphasize that, whether a relative clause is introduced by a relative pronoun or a relative adverb, the clause still plays an adjectival role in the sentence. The fact that relative adverbs modify nouns, not verbs or adjectives, sometimes confuses students, so let’s look at an example for clarification: I am excited for Monday, when two ninjas will be visiting our school. In this sentence, when is a relative adverb and “when two ninjas will be visiting our school” is a relative clause. Even though when is an adverb, the information provided here modifies the noun Monday. Figures 6.1 and 6.2 (page 60) summarize some key points regarding relative clauses, relative pronouns, and relative adverbs.
