Noun Clause • What is a noun clause? It is, of course, used as a noun in a sentence, acting mainly as a subject or an object. Look at the following examples: 1. I don’t know what they are doing now. (O) 2. How you want to do the work will affect your future. (S) 3. Tell me whether you like it or not. (O) 4. Did you know that Peter was going to study abroad ? (O) 5. That one and one are two is very easy, even for a child. (S) • The underlined part in each sentence above is called the noun clause, serving either as a subject or as an object.

Now let’s take a closer look at the noun clause. As you have seen, noun clauses come in different forms. Some start with a wh word, and some are that-clauses. No matter what they are like, always remember: in noun clauses, the subject always comes before the verb, either an action or linking verb or an auxiliary.

Compare the noun clause in sentence 1 with the question, “What are they talking about now?”. What are they talking about?

I don’t know what they are talking about now.

• Now compare the question “How do you want to do the work?” with sentence 2.

• How do you want to do the work?

• (How you want to do the work) will affect your future.

• See? In a noun clause, the subject comes before the verb. That’s the golden rule.

• Now, look at the question, “Do you like it?”. Do you know how to change it into a noun clause so that it can be a noun part of a big sentence?

• Well, you should remember that it is a yes/no question without a wh- word in front. But if you want to make it a noun clause, you have to put “whether” in front as you see in sentence 3: “Tell me whether you like it (or not).” See? The subject “you” comes before the verb “like” without “do” in front of the subject “you.”

There is anther type of noun clause which does not contain a wh- word. It is originally a statement such as “One and one are two.” If you want to make it a noun clause, you simply put the conjunction “that” in front of it and thus it becomes a noun part of a long sentence as you see in sentence 4, “That one and one are two is very easy, even for a child.” In this sentence, “that one and one are two” is the subject.

You can also make the “that clause” an object as you will see in the following sentence: “Everybody knows (that) one and one are two.” Another thing to remember: If the “that-clause” is the subject, “that” cannot be omitted, but if the “that-clause” is in the position of an object, then “that” can be left out.

Now, you are on your own. Change each of the following questions or statements into a noun clause so that it can be part of a longer sentence.

 1. Where were you last night?

(Tell me…) 2. What did Joe give Mary on her birthday?

(…is none of my business .) 3. Who made this cup? (No one knows…) 4. Have you finished your homework?

(Mom asked me…) 5. Did John go to the concert yesterday?

(…is a secret.) 6. I am hungry. (Don’t you know….) 7. The sun rises in the east. (…is a fact everyone knows.)