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Noun Clauses

1. A noun clause acts as a subject, object, or object of a preposition, answering "who(m)?" or "what?". It is introduced by words like "what", "where", "which", "whoever", or "that". 2. Noun clauses with wh-words are indirect questions with statement word order. Noun clauses can function as subjects, direct objects, indirect objects, objects of prepositions, or predicates/complements. 3. After verbs or expressions showing importance/urgency, the base verb form is used in noun clauses and the subject comes before, with "not" preceding negatives.

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Adán Frías Castillo
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617 views2 pages

Noun Clauses

1. A noun clause acts as a subject, object, or object of a preposition, answering "who(m)?" or "what?". It is introduced by words like "what", "where", "which", "whoever", or "that". 2. Noun clauses with wh-words are indirect questions with statement word order. Noun clauses can function as subjects, direct objects, indirect objects, objects of prepositions, or predicates/complements. 3. After verbs or expressions showing importance/urgency, the base verb form is used in noun clauses and the subject comes before, with "not" preceding negatives.

Uploaded by

Adán Frías Castillo
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Noun Clauses

1. A noun clause is a dependent clause which takes the place of a noun in another clause
or phrase. Like a noun, a noun clause acts as the subject or object of a verb or the
object of a preposition, answering the questions "who(m)?" or "what?".

2. Words that introduce noun clauses:


How What where Which Whoever
If Whatever Whichever whoever Whomever
That When Whether who, which Why

3. Noun clauses with Wh-words are indirect questions.


They have statement word order, even when they occur within questions
[ Wh + subject + verb]
Examples:

I don’t know what he is doing.


I wonder how he feels today.
Where I put my book is a mystery

4. Noun clauses can be used as the following:

Function Noun or Pronoun Noun Clause

Subject His speech was clear. What he said was clear.

Direct object I don’t know his contact I don’t know how he can be
number. reached.

Indirect object Give her the message Give whoever answers the
message.

Object of a preposition I sent the notice to her. I sent the notice to whoever was

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interested.

Predicate/ complement That is my plan. That is what I plan to do.


noun

5. Noun clauses after verbs or expressions that show importance or


urgency:
• 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

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

Examples:

• It is essential that a baby have stimulation.


• I advise that she stay home with her children.
• It is important that a diabetic person not increase the sugar intake.

Exercises:
Š Identify each noun clause. Is it used as a subject, a direct object, an indirect object,
an object of a preposition, or a predicate noun?

1. You know that the telephone uses electricity.


2. What you say into a phone creates sound waves.
3. An electric current carries the sound to whoever is listening.
4. Basically, this is how a telephone operates.
5. You can talk to whomever you like and say whatever you think.
6. Campaign workers use whatever helps them.

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