Identify the adjective clause in the following sentence:
The reason why I did this is obvious.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → why I did this
An adjective is a word that describes a noun or a pronoun, for example a tall tree, the food is tasty.
Adjective clause:
- An adjective (relative) clause is a group of words with its own subject and verb that describes a noun, as an adjective does.
- It is introduced by a relative word: who, which, that, whose, where, when or why (after "the reason").
- This sentence:
- Noun described: reason
- Clause: why I did this (subject "I", verb "did")
- The clause tells us which reason is meant, so it works as an adjective.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: reason why I — Incorrect. It includes the noun "reason" itself and stops before the verb, so it is not a complete clause.
Option 3: this is obvious — Incorrect. These words are not a unit of the sentence: "is obvious" is the main verb and complement, whose subject is "The reason why I did this".
Option 4: the reason why I did — Incorrect. It wrongly includes the noun "the reason" and cuts off the object "this".