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
Decideremember
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 dont 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 WHword
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.

words
They have statement word
order, even when they occur
within questions
Wh + subject + verb
I dont know what he is
doing
I wonder how he feels
today.
Where I put my book is a

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:
adviseforbid
ask
insist
beg
order
urge request

recommend
require
suggest
demand

Some expressions that show

importance or urgency:
It
It
It
It
It
It

is
is
is
is
is
is

advisable
essential
imperative
important
necessary
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 was great

Im leaving.
She said she was leaving
I made it.
He said that he had made
it.
He said to her, Ive never
lied.
he told her that he had

Remember to change
pronouns, time and place
expressions this and here in
indirect speech to keep the
speakers original meaning.
Ann told Rick, I bought
this dress here.
Ann told Rick that she had
bought that dress there.

He said:
Ill leave now.
Im going to drive He told me (that)
Traffic may be bad He would leave then.
She might move.
He was going to drive
He can help.
Traffic may be bad
They have to stay.
she might move
You must be careful. 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!