UNIT 4

NOUN CLAUSE

What Is a Noun Clause?

A noun clause is a dependent clause that acts as a noun. Noun clauses begin with
words such as how, that, what, whatever, when, where, whether, which, whichever, who,
whoever, whom, whomever, and why. Noun clauses can act as subjects, direct objects, indirect
objects, predicate nominatives, or objects of a preposition.

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 Noun clauses are used to name something when a single word isn't enough because it
needs lots of information to be understood. Again, they're always going to be dependent
clauses and these clauses can't stand alone. If a dependent clause stands alone, it forms a
sentence fragment, not a full sentence. While an independent clause can act as a sentence by
itself, a dependent clause cannot.

Example:

I want to borrow it. (the sentence uses prounoun it)

When you use the sentence above without giving expalantion or pointing on
something, the other speaker will not understand or confused with the sentence. Now, see the
next sentence:

I want to borrow the book. (the sentence uses noun the book)

If you use the sentence above, the other speaker still does not understand what kind of
book you are talking about because it does not have a complete information about the book.
Now, compare with the sentence below:

I want to borrow whatever the book Sarah ever lent you (the sentence uses noun
clause)

Now, the sentence has a complete information of which book that the subject wants to
borrow.

Another examples:

· I forgot my key. (noun)

· I forgot it. (pronoun)
· I forgot where I put my key. (noun clause)

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Noun Clause Markers

Clause marker A brief description

1. Question words · what (ever)
· what (time, kind, day, etc)
· who(ever)
· whose
· whom(ever)
· which(ever)
· where(ever)
· when(ever)
· how (long, far, many times, old, etc)

2. If/Whether This marker is usually used for yes-no question or the reported speech form.
3. That That-clause is usually used for mental activity. The following is a list of
verbs in the main verb that is usually followed by that-clause:

· assume
· believe
· discover
· dream
· guess
· hear
· hope
· know
· learn
· notice
· predict
· presume
· prove
· realize
· suppose
· suspect
· think

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Noun Clause Markers examples:

Noun Clause Marker Examples

1. Question Word What she cooked was delicious.

I want to know how he was in real.

There’s no reward for whoever finishes first.

I listened carefully to what she said.

The girl comes from where many people live in poverty.

2. If/Whether A: Where does Andy live?

B: I wonder if he lives in West Jakarta.

A: Does Andy live on Thamrin Street?

B: I don’t know whether he lives on Thamrin Street.

Sarah wanted to know if he lived on Thamrin street.

3. That That today is his birthday is not right.

I think that the group will arrive in an hour.

Many people had proved that the method was ineffective.

Diana believes that her life will be happier.

The fact is that more than a hundred million people live in the
ten largest cities in the world.

We were worried that she couldn’t recover from divorce.

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Types of Noun Clauses

Beyond these keywords, you can also spot a noun clause based on its function within
the sentence. Let's take a look at some of the most prominent roles of noun clauses.

1. Subject of a Verb

A noun clause can act as the subject of a verb. Subjects tell us whom or what a
sentence is about.

For example: Candy is fine with me.

Candy is the simple subject in that sentence. Is is one word acting as the subject. Now, see
the next sentence:

Whatever you want is fine with me.

Now there is a whole clause acting as the subject. Whatever you want is a noun clauseacting
ast the subjet of the sentence.

We know that whatever you want is a clause because it has subject (you) and a verb (want).
We also know that it is a subordinate clause because it does not express a complete thought.

Another examples:

· What Alicia said made her friends cry.

· What Megan wrote surprised her family.
· How the boy behaved was not very polite.

2. Object of a Verb
A noun can also be a direct objet. Direct objects receive the action of the verb. They
are only used with trancitive active verb.

For example: Can you tell me the time?

Time is the direct object in the sentence. It is one noun doing a noun job. Now, check the
next sentence:

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 Can you tell me when it is time for dinner?

When it is time for dinner is now acting as the direct object. The whole clause is performing
one function as noun clause.

Another examples:

· She didn't realize that the directions were wrong.

· He didn't know why the stove wasn't working.
· They now understand that you should not cheat on a test.

3. Subject Complement

A noun clause can also serve as a subject complement. A subject complement will
always modify, describe, or complete the subject of a clause.

For example:

· His greatest fear was early death. (noun)

· His greatest fear was that he would die at an early age. (noun clause)
· Happiness is a warm pie. (noun)
· Happiness is whatever just came out of the oven. (noun clause)
· Without these clauses, the sentences would not be complete thoughts.

4. Object of a Preposition

Noun clauses also act as objects of a preposition.

For example: I asked about Tom.

Tom is a noun acting as the object of the preposition about. Now check the next sentence
below:

I asked about why Tom ate those hot peppers.

Why Tom ate those hot peppers ia a clause acting as the object of the preposition about.
Tom is the subject of the clause, and ate is the verb, so we know it is a clause, and the

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sentence has a complete thought using a noun clause. The clause can’t stand alone, so we
know it is a subordinate clause.

In the examples below, you'll see the prepositions of and for in action.

· Harry is not the best provider of what Margie needs.

· Josephine is not responsible for what Alex decided to do.
· Allie is the owner of that blue car parked outside.

Each of these sentences could be complete before the addition of the prepositions.
However, the prepositions are introduced to provide further detail and the noun clauses act as
the objects of these prepositions.

5. Adjective Complement

Last but not least, a noun clause can also function as an adjective complement, modifying a
verb, adjective, or adverb.

· Jerry knows why Elaine went to the store.

· They're perfectly happy where they live now.
· Geoffrey runs so quickly that he can outrun his dog.

Similar to the examples containing prepositions, each of these sentences could be

complete after conjunction (e.g., why, where and that). The adjective complements provide
further detail and, in each of these instances, these adjective complements are noun clauses.

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