Noun Clauses
>> Definition of Noun Clauses
A noun clause is a
subordinate clause used a noun. Its functions as a noun in the sentence.
Example :
He noticed her nervousness. (noun)
He noticed that she was nervous. (noun clauses)
The noun clauses
may be introduced by subordinate conjunctions or relative pronouns.
>> Position of the Noun Clauses
Since the noun
clause may be used in the same way in which a noun is used, it can occur
anywhere in the sentence that a noun can occur.
Subject of the sentence :
His
destination is a secret.
Where
he is going is a secret.
Indirect object :
The club will give the winner a prize.
The club will give whoever wins a prize.
Direct object :
I know his Name.
I know what his name is.
Subjective complement :
This is my opinion.
This is what
I think.
Objective complement :
She will name him john.
She will name him whatever she wants to.
Object of a preposition :
She worried about his wealth.
She worried about how ill he was.
Appositive :
One problem, his incompetences, will be hard to deal with.
One problem, that he is incompetent, will be hard to deal with.
Object of a participle :
Remembering her remark, I was careful to be on time.
Remembering what she said, I was careful to be on time.
Object of an infinitive :
John asked her to read the manuscript.
John asked her to read what he had written.
Object of Gerund :
Knowing English is very useful to him.
Knowing that he is here is very useful to him.
>> Subordinators in the Noun
Clauses
Subordinators
which introduce noun clauses can be either relative pronouns or subordinate
conjuntions.
>>When a
pronoun is used as a subordinator, it takes one of the noun positions in the
clause it introduces, or it acts as a determiner before one of the nouns in the
clause.
Example :
We know who wrote the letter. (subject)
Who(m) you saw. (direct object)
Whose work was best. (determminer)
Of whom he
was speaking. (object
of preposition)
Which way
they went. (determiner)
What time
it was. (determiner)
What they needed. (direct object)
What happened. (subject)
They
will welcome whoever is there. (subject)
Give
them whatever they needed. (direct
object)
è When a conjunction acts as a suburdinator,
it may have an adverbial function within the clause it introduces. That is to
say, when a subordinate conjungtion turn a sentence into a noun clause, the
conjunction often as adverbial.
Example :
His house is on Main Street.
I
know where his house is.
Notice
that the noun clauses in the preceding examples are all direct object of the
verb in the noun + verb + noun sentence pattern. Other verbs after which
these clauses commonly appear are ask,
guess, see, and explain. Noun
clauses may also be used ad complements after the linking verb be, and sometimes become, in the noun + linking verb + noun/adjective pattern.
>> use of Say and Tell
Unlike
the other verb used in the preceding examles, the verb tell is not followed immediately by its opbject, the noun clause,
but by an indirect object.
Example :
Did he say where Mr. Diego went ?
Did he tell where Mr. Diego went ?
Say commontly occurs in the sentence pattern noun + verb +
noun.
Tell occurs in the sentence pattern noun + verb + noun + noun.
>> Ommision of That
That, used as a subordinator to introduce noun clauses, is
different from other subordinators in that it has no grammatical function in
the clause ot introduces. Unless the clause is used ad a subject or a
subjective complement, that can ussualy
be ommited.
Example :
That
we are late is evident. (subject)
My opinion is that we must be there. (subjective complement)
àBut that is optional in the following
sentences.
Example :
I hope (that) you arrived safely.
They think (that) she is very intelligent.
àSome of the verbs after which that is often ommited are :
Assume Know Tell
Believe Remember Think
Hope Say Understand
Imagine Suppose
>> Word Order in the Noun Clause
Word order in noun
clauses is the samee as in statements. Because some of the subordinators may
also be used to introduce questions, it is a common error to use question word
order after these word when they introduce noun clauses.
Example :
What time is it ? Do you know what time is it ?
She can tell you what time it is.
When did he see the movie ? I wonder when he saw the movie.
Do
you know when he saw the movie ?
>> Reverence:
A book from : George E. Wishon & Julia
M. Burks à
Let’s Write English Revised Edition.
