Noun Clauses

A

NOUN CLAUSE

is a group of words

with a subject

and a verb

WHO WHOM WHEN

WHICH HOW

WHERE

IF WHY THAT

WHAT WHETHER

WHOEVER WHEREVER

WHICHEVER HOWEVER

WHOMEVER WHATEVER

WHENEVER

You can recognize a noun clause by

one of the relative pronouns or adverbs that

begin the clause

A noun clause consists of three

components:

A relative pronoun or adverb

A subject

A verb

Noun clauses function like nouns.

They can be:

subject

subject complement

object

object of prepositions

Uses of Noun Clauses

After some verbs and adjectives

To include a question in a statement (embedded

questions)

To report what someone has said or asked

Noun clauses can follow certain verbs and

adjectives that express mental activities

Agree notice afraid positive

Believe realize angry sorry

Decide remember aware surprised

Doubt see certain sure

Feel show clear worried

Forget suppose convinced

Guess think disappointed

Hear understand glad

Hope wonder happy

Imagine say pleased

Know tell sad

To include a question

in a statement

I don’t know what time it is.

I wonder how he found out.

To report what

someone has said or

asked He said that he would return.

He asked me what I wanted

•

There are three types of Noun

Clauses:

noun clauses with that

noun clauses with WH-word

noun clauses with if and whether

Noun clauses with THAT can be used

with all verbs mentioned except

wonder

I think that this book will be

interesting.

The word that can often be omitted.

However it can not be omitted if it is

in the subject position

The fact that is used as the object of

the preposition

We are curious about the fact that

she is here today.

Noun clauses with Wh-words

They have statement word order,

even when they occur within

questions

Wh + subject + verb

I don’t know what he is doing

I wonder how he feels today.

Where I put my book is a mystery.

In conversation, noun clauses can be

replaced by so after

think

hope

believe

suppose

expect

know

Noun clauses with If/whether

are often followed by or not.

They are often used in statements

that express uncertainty

Noun clauses after verbs that show

importance or urgency:

advise forbid recommend

ask insist require

beg order suggest

urge request demand

Some expressions that show

importance or urgency:

It is advisable

It is essential

It is imperative

It is important

It is necessary

It is urgent

After verbs that show importance or

urgency, the base form is used.

Use the subject pronoun before a base

form.

For negatives, put not before the

base form

It is essential that babies have

stimulation.

I advise that she stay home with her

children.

Direct (quoted) Speech vs

Indirect (reported) Speech

Direct speech

Simple present ----------

Present progressive-----------

Simple past---------------------

Present perfect-----------------

Indirect speech

Simple past

Past progressive

Past perfect

Past perfect

Direct (quoted) speech

States the exact words a speaker used. In

writing, use quotation marks.

John said, “ I love this class.”

Indirect (reported)

speech Reports what a speaker said without using the exact words. There are no quotation

marks.

John said that he loved this class.

The reporting verbs say and tell are

usually in the simple past for both

direct and indirect speech.

He said, “It’s great.”

He said it was great

“I’m leaving.”

She said she was leaving

“I made it.”

He said that he had made it.

He said to her, “I’ve never lied.”

he told her that he had never lied

Remember to change pronouns, time

and place expressions this and here

in indirect speech to keep the

speaker’s original meaning.

Ann told Rick, “I bought this dress

here.”

Ann told Rick that she had bought

that dress there.

“I’ll leave now.”

“I’m going to drive”

“Traffic may be bad”

“She might move.”

“He can help.”

“They have to stay.”

“You must be careful.”

He said: He told me (that)

He would leave then.

He was going to drive

Traffic may be bad

she might move

he could help

They had to stay

I must be careful

Some Modals change forms

can – could

may –might

will – would

have to, must – had to

could, might, should, would, ought

to, and had better do not change

form

“Are you bringing any fruit into the

country?”

The customs officer asked the

tourists if they were bringing any

fruit into the country.

“Do you have your transcripts with

you?”

The registrar asked me if I had my

transcripts with me.

“Can you fix my car?”

I asked the mechanic if he could fix

my car.

“Did you see the accident?”

The police officer asked me if I had

seen the accident.

“What do you want to be when you

grow up?”

My first grade teacher asked me what

I wanted to be when I grew up.

Reported commands and requests

Commands and requests are

reported using infinitives, not noun

clauses

“Bring the book!”

She told me to bring the book.

The End!