If a clause is underlined in a sentence, what is the easiest way to figure out whether it is an adjective, adverb, or noun clause?


very confusing...

1.
Adjective clause works as adjective.
It usually modifies the noun just before it.
It is usually introduced by relative pronoun or relative adverb,such as who, which, whose, whom, that, when, where, why, how, and so on.
(ex) This is a car [which my father bought for me].
(ex) This is the shop [where my father bought a car for me].
Notice there is a noun just before the clause.

2
Adverb clause works as adverb.
It express time, reason, condition,and concession.
It is usually introduced by sub-conjunction such as when, till, since, because, if, unless, though, and so on.
(ex) [When my father bought a car for me], he made me promise not to drink before driving.
(ex) I've never driven alone [till my father bought a car for me].

3
Noun clause works as subject, object, complement of a sentense and complement of preposition.
It is usually introduced by sub-conjunction such as that, whether, if, and interrogative such as who, when, what, where, how, and so on.
(ex) I wasn't sure [whether my father bought me a car or not].
(ex) Will you tell me [when you will leave here]?

How about the difference?

I hope I could help you.

If a group of words containing a subject and verb acts as an adjective, it is called an Adjective Clause. My sister, who is much older than I am, is an engineer. If an adjective clause is stripped of its subject and verb, the resulting modifier becomes an Adjective Phrase: He is the man who is keeping my family in the poorhouse.

A group of related words can act as a single noun-like entity within a sentence. A Noun Clause contains a subject and verb and can do anything that a noun can do:
What he does for this town is a blessing.

If a group of words containing a subject and verb acts as an adverb (modifying the verb of a sentence), it is called an Adverb Clause:
When this class is over, we're going to the movies.