Noun Clauses

Name: Kong Ming Yien Law Kai Xin ZechristUnit: TeslLecturer: Puan Zubaidah

Noun/ Nominal Clause• A group of words with subject and a finite verb, which functions

like a noun.• A noun clause is a dependent clause within a sentence and it

function as:Subject of a verbObject of the verb/ prepositionAppositive Complement

Difference between noun, noun phrase and noun clause.

Noun I know Jamie.

Noun Phrase I know the boy.

Noun Clause I know who stole the chain.

1.0 Formation of Noun Clause

• Noun Clauses are introduced with the words:How ThatWh-wordWh-ever wordWhether

ExamplesNoun

Clause Marker

Sentence

That He thinks that the audition will not be easy.

Wh-word Everybody wondered where he lives.

Wh-ever word

The prince will marry whoever walks through the door.

Whether I don’t know whether he will recover.

• Noun clauses may be replaced with a pronoun.• Examples:

What she did is really unbelievable.

(This) is really unbelievable.

She didn’t know that her father has arrived.

She didn’t know (that).

However, she refused to be responsible for what she has done.

However, she refused to be responsible for (it).

4.0 Function of Noun Clauses

• Subject of a verb• Object of a verb• Subject complement• Object of a preposition• Adjective complement

Noun clauses as subject of verbs

•That he has disappeared is a mystery.

•Whatever his wife did angered him.

Noun Clauses as objects of verbs

• Can you inform his wife when they have found him?

• His wife didn’t know that Fahmi is such a difficult person.

Noun clauses as subject complements

• The truth is that Sabrina is better off not found.

•He is what he is.

Noun clauses as objects of prepositions

• Serene has to change what his wife wants him to be.

• The search party looks into whatever is applicable.

Noun clauses as adjective complements

• His wife is sad that there is in news about him.

• She is afraid that the search is failure.

Differences between Noun Phrases and Clauses

Phrase Clause

The lecturer was happy. Whoever came here was happy.

I consider this my favourite dish.

I wonder what your favourite dish is.

He gave his wife a bungalow.

I really don’t know what he gave his wife.

Types of Noun Clauses• Relative Pronouns• Relative Adverbs• Whether / If• Indefinite Pronoun

Introduced by Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns: that, what, when, where, which, who, whom, whose

• Example: I don’t know who lives here.

‘who lives here’ is a noun clause. This can be replaced with a noun phrase ‘that person’.

Introduced by Relative adverbs

Relative adverbs: where, when, why

Example: I don’t know where Peter lives.

‘where Peter lives’ is a noun clause. This can be replaced with a noun phrase ‘her address’.

Introduced by ‘Whether’ or ‘If’

• Used to answer yes no type questions

Example: I don’t know if Dylan has a job.

‘if Dylan has a job’ is a noun clause. This can be replaced with the noun phrase ‘the answer’.

Introduced by Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns: whoever, whatever, whenever, wherever, however

Example: You can take whoever you want from the team.She can have whatever she wants.Whenever you are ready to leave, just let me know.

• Questions• His mother asked, “Where are you?” (Quoted)• His mother asked where he was. (Reported)

• Requests• His mother said, “Come home”• His mother said he was to come home.• His mother said (that) he should come home.• His mother told him to come home.• His mother pleaded that he should come home.

Noun Clauses In Reported Speech

• Statements• His mother said, “It’s lonely without him here”• His mother said that it was lonely without him there.

• Wh-Questions: changing wh- questions to reported speech (relative pronoun/adverb)• Who• Where• What• Why• How/how long/how much

• Yes/No Questions: changing questions to reported speech (whether/if)• Is/are – was/were• Do/does – did• Can – could• May – might

• Commands: changing commands to reported speech• Say or tell – (should, infinitive phrase) • Demand, advise, order, suggest – other verbs followed by a command