Download NOUN CLAUSES

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
WHICHEVER
WHOMEVER
WHENEVER
WHEREVER
HOWEVER
WHATEVER
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

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Agree
Believe
Decide
Doubt
Feel
Forget
Guess
Hear
Hope
Imagine
Know
notice
realize
remember
see
show
suppose
think
understand
wonder
say
tell
afraid
angry
aware
certain
clear
convinced
disappointed
glad
happy
pleased
sad
positive
sorry
surprised
sure
worried
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
ask
beg
urge
forbid
insist
order
request
recommend
require
suggest
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
Indirect speech
Simple present ----------
Simple past
Present progressive-----------
Past progressive
Simple past---------------------
Past perfect
Present 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.
He said:
“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 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!