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Noun Clauses
See The Sentence for definitions of sentence, clause, and dependent clause.
A sentence which contains just one clause is called a simple sentence.
A sentence which contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses is called a complex sentence.
(Dependent clauses are also called subordinate clauses.)
There are three basic types of dependent clauses: adjective clauses, adverb clauses, and noun clauses. (Adjective
clauses are also called relative clauses.)
This page contains information about noun clauses. Also see Adjective Clauses and Adverb Clauses.
A. Noun clauses perform the same functions in sentences that nouns do:
A noun clause can be a subject of a verb:
What Billy did shocked his friends.
A noun clause can be an object of a verb:
Billy’s friends didn’t know that he couldn’t swim.
A noun clause can be a subject complement:
Billy’s mistake was that he refused to take lessons.
A noun clause can be an object of a preposition:
Mary is not responsible for what Billy did.
A noun clause (but not a noun) can be an adjective complement:
Everybody is sad that Billy drowned.
B. You can combine two independent clauses by changing one to a noun clause and using it in one of the ways
listed above. The choice of the noun clause marker (see below) depends on the type of clause you are changing to a
noun clause:
To change a statement to a noun clause use that:
I know + Billy made a mistake =
I know that Billy made a mistake.
To change a yes/no question to a noun clause, use if or whether:
George wonders + Does Fred know how to cook? =
George wonders if Fred knows how to cook.
To change a wh-question to a noun clause, use the wh-word:
I don’t know + Where is George? =
I don’t know where George is.
C. The subordinators in noun clauses are called noun clause markers. Here is a list of the noun clause markers:
that
if, whether
Wh-words: how, what, when, where, which, who, whom, whose, why
Wh-ever words: however, whatever, whenever, wherever, whichever, whoever, whomever
D. Except for that, noun clause markers cannot be omitted. Only that can be omitted, but it can be omitted only if it
is not the first word in a sentence:
correct:
Billy’s friends didn’t know that he couldn’t swim.
correct:
Billy’s friends didn’t know he couldn’t swim.
correct:
Billy’s mistake was that he refused to take lessons.
correct:
Billy’s mistake was he refused to take lessons.
correct:
That Billy jumped off the pier surprised everyone.
not correct:
* Billy jumped off the pier surprised everyone.
E. Statement word order is always used in a noun clause, even if the main clause is a question:
not correct:
* Do you know what time is it? (Question word order: is it)
correct:
Do you know what time it is? (Statement word order: it is)
not correct:
* Everybody wondered where did Billy go. (Question word order: did Billy go)
correct:
Everybody wondered where Billy went. (Statement word order: Billy went)
F. Sequence of tenses in sentences containing noun clauses:
When the main verb (the verb in the independent clause) is present, the verb in the noun clause is:
future if its action/state is later
He thinks that the exam next week will be hard.
He thinks that the exam next week is going to be hard.
present if its action/state is at the same time
He thinks that Mary is taking the exam right now.
past if its action/state is earlier
He thinks that George took the exam yesterday.
When the main verb (the verb in the independent clause) is past, the verb in the noun clause is:
was/were going to or would + BASE if its action/state is later
He thought that the exam the following week was going to be hard.
He thought that the exam the following week would be hard.
past if its action/state is at the same time
He thought that Mary was taking the exam then.
past perfect if its action/state is earlier
He thought that George had taken the exam the day before.
If the action/state of the noun clause is still in the future (that is, after the writer has written the sentence), then a future
verb can be used even if the main verb is past.
The astronaut said that people will live on other planets someday.
If the action/state of the noun clause continues in the present (that is, at the time the writer is writing the sentence) or if
the noun clause expresses a general truth or fact, the simple present tense can be used even if the main verb is past.
We learned that English is not easy.
The boys knew that the sun rises in the east.
G. Here are some examples of sentences which contain one noun clause (underlined) and one independent clause:
Noun clauses as subjects of verbs:
That George learned how to swim is a miracle.
Whether Fred can get a better job is not certain.
What Mary said confused her parents.
However you learn to spell is OK with me.
Noun clauses as objects of verbs:
We didn’t know that Billy would jump.
We didn’t know Billy would jump.
Can you tell me if Fred is here?
I don’t know where he is.
George eats whatever is on his plate.
Noun clauses as subject complements:
The truth is that Billy was not very smart.
The truth is Billy was not very smart.
The question is whether other boys will try the same thing.
The winner will be whoever runs fastest.
Noun clauses as objects of prepositions:
Billy didn’t listen to what Mary said.
He wants to learn about whatever is interesting.
Noun clauses as adjective complements:
He is happy that he is learning English.
We are all afraid that the final exam will be difficult.
Noun Clauses
Introduction
A clause is a group of words that contain a subject and a verb. Clauses can take the place of different parts of speech.
For instance, you are probably familiar with adjective clauses.
The man, who looked sleepy, sat down.
Who looked sleepy is an adjective clause. It is taking the place of an adjective. An adjective is used to describe nouns
and so do adjective clauses.
We could re-write the sentence with an adjective.
The sleepy man sat down.
Similarly, a noun clause can take the place of a noun. This lesson will explain noun clauses, give examples of noun
clauses, and then provide several quizzes to practice forming noun clauses.
Noun Clauses - Explanations & Examples
There are three basic types of noun clauses. These types are 1) noun clauses that start with a question word (where, how, who,
when, why), 2) noun clauses that start with whether or if, and 3) noun clauses that start with that.
1. Noun Clauses that Start with a Question
Noun clauses that start with a question are usually used to answer a question. The following examples should better explain this.

Where does Sarik live?
I don't know where Sarik lives.
"where Sarik lives" is a noun clause. We could answer this question without a noun clause by saying the following.
I don't know Sarik's address. The noun phrase, Sarik's address, replaces with the noun clause, where Sarik lives.

What time is it?
I don't know what time it is.
"what time it is" is a noun clause. We could answer this question without a noun clause by saying the following.
I don't know the time. In this case, the noun phrase, the time, replaces the noun clause, what time it is.
2. Noun Clauses that Start with Whether or If
Noun clauses that start with whether or if are used to answer yes/no type questions. Whether and if are usually
interchangeable. The following examples should better explain this.

Does Judy own a Honda?
I don't know if Judy owns a Honda.
"if Judy owns a Honda" is a noun clause. We could answer this question without a noun clause by saying the following.
I don't know the answer. In this case, the noun phrase, the answer, replaces the noun clause, if Judy owns a Honda.

Will Sadine be at work on Friday?
I don't know whether Sadine will be at work on Friday.
"whether Sadine will be at work on Friday" is a noun clause. We could answer this question without a noun clause by
saying the following.
I don't know the answer. In this case, the noun phrase, the answer, replaces the noun clause, whether Sadine will be at
work on Friday.
3. Noun Clauses that Start with That.
Noun clauses that start with that are used to answer questions in which person who is answering is thinking, giving an opinion, or
using a mental activity verb. The following examples should better explain this.

Is Dr. Elimelech a good instructor?
I think that Dr. Elimelech is a good instructor.
"that Dr. Elimelech is a good instructor" is a noun clause. This noun clause could be omitted by saying the following.
I think so.

Do you know the location of an ATM?
I believe that there is an ATM in the supermarket.
"that there is an ATM in the supermarket" is a noun clause.
Most of the time, native speakers will drop the word that. It is perfectably acceptable to say the following.
I think that Dr. Elimelech is a good instructor.
OR
I think Dr. Elimelech is a good instructor.
I believe that there is an ATM in the supermarket.
OR
I believe there is an ATM in the supermarket.
Adjective Clauses
See The Sentence for definitions of sentence, clause, and dependent clause.
A sentence which contains just one clause is called a simple sentence.
A sentence which contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses is called a complex sentence.
(Dependent clauses are also called subordinate clauses.)
There are three basic types of dependent clauses: adjective clauses, adverb clauses, and noun clauses. (Adjective
clauses are also called relative clauses.)
This page contains information about adjective clauses. Also see Adverb Clauses and Noun Clauses.
A. Adjective clauses perform the same function in sentences that adjectives do: they modify nouns.
The teacher has a car. (Car is a noun.)
It’s a new car. (New is an adjective which modifies car.)
The car that she is driving is not hers.
(That she is driving is an adjective clause which modifies car. It’s a clause because it has a subject (she) and a
predicate (is driving); it’s an adjective clause because it modifies a noun.)
Note that adjectives usually precede the nouns they modify; adjective clauses always follow the nouns they modify.
B. A sentence which contains one adjective clause and one independent clause is the result of combining two
clauses which contain a repeated noun. You can combine two independent clauses to make one sentence containing
an adjective clause by following these steps:
1. You must have two clauses which contain a repeated noun (or pronoun, or noun and pronoun which refer to the same
thing). Here are two examples:
The book is on the table. + I like the book.
The man is here. + The man wants the book.
2. Delete the repeated noun and replace it with a relative pronoun in the clause you want to make dependent. See C.
below for information on relative pronouns.
The book is on the table. + I like which
The man is here. + who wants the book
3. Move the relative pronoun to the beginning of its clause (if it is not already there). The clause is now an adjective
clause.
The book is on the table. + which I like
The man is here. + who wants the book
4. Put the adjective clause immediately after the noun phrase it modifies (the repeated noun):
The book which I like is on the table.
The man who wants the book is here.
C. The subordinators in adjective clauses are called relative pronouns.
1. These are the most important relative pronouns: who, whom, that, which.
These relative pronouns can be omitted when they are objects of verbs. When they are objects of prepositions, they can
be omitted when they do not follow the preposition.
WHO replaces nouns and pronouns that refer to people. It cannot replace nouns and pronouns that refer to animals or
things. It can be the subject of a verb. In informal writing (but not in academic writing), it can be used as the object of a
verb.
WHOM replaces nouns and pronouns that refer to people. It cannot replace nouns and pronouns that refer to animals or
things. It can be the object of a verb or preposition. It cannot be the subject of a verb.
WHICH replaces nouns and pronouns that refer to animals or things. It cannot replace nouns and pronouns that refer
to people. It can be the subject of a verb. It can also be the object of a verb or preposition.
THAT replaces nouns and pronouns that refer to people, animals or things. It can be the subject of a verb. It can also
be the object of a verb or preposition (but that cannot follow a preposition; whom, which, and whose are the only
relative pronouns that can follow a preposition).
2. The following words can also be used as relative pronouns: whose, when, where.
WHOSE replaces possessive forms of nouns and pronouns (see WF11 and pro in Correction Symbols Two). It can
refer to people, animals or things. It can be part of a subject or part of an object of a verb or preposition, but it cannot
be a complete subject or object. Whose cannot be omitted. Here are examples with whose:
The man is happy. + I found the man’s wallet. =
The man whose wallet I found is happy.
The girl is excited. + Her mother won the lottery. =
The girl whose mother won the lottery is excited.
WHEN replaces a time (in + year, in + month, on + day,...). It cannot be a subject. It can be omitted. Here is an example
with when:
I will never forget the day. + I graduated on that day.=
I will never forget the day when I graduated.
The same meaning can be expressed in other ways:
I will never forget the day on which I graduated.
I will never forget the day that I graduated.
I will never forget the day I graduated.
WHERE replaces a place (in + country, in + city, at + school,...). It cannot be a subject. It can be omitted but a
preposition (at, in, to) usually must be added. Here is an example with where:
The building is new. + He works in the building. =
The building where he works is new.
The same meaning can be expressed in other ways:
The building in which he works is new.
The building which he works in is new.
The building that he works in is new.
The building he works in is new.
D. Adjective clauses can be restrictive or nonrestrictive.
1. A restrictive adjective clause contains information that is necessary to identify the noun it modifies. If a restrictive
adjective clause is removed from a sentence, the meaning of the main clause changes. A restrictive adjective clause
is not separated from the main clause by a comma or commas. Most adjective clauses are restrictive; all of the examples
of adjective clauses above are restrictive. Here is another example:
People who can’t swim should not jump into the ocean.
2. A nonrestrictive adjective clause gives additional information about the noun it modifies but is not necessary to
identify that noun. If a nonrestrictive adjective clause is removed from a sentence, the meaning of the main clause
does not change. A nonrestrictive adjective clause is separated from the main clause by a comma or commas. The
relative pronoun that cannot be used in nonrestrictive adjective clauses. The relative pronoun cannot be omitted from a
nonrestrictive clause. Here is an example:
Billy, who couldn’t swim, should not have jumped into the ocean.
E. Adjective clauses can often be reduced to phrases. The relative pronoun (RP) must be the subject of the verb in
the adjective clause. Adjective clauses can be reduced to phrases in two different ways depending on the verb in the
adjective clause.
1. RP + BE = 0
People who are living in glass houses should not throw stones. (clause)
People living in glass houses should not throw stones. (phrase)
Mary applied for a job that was advertised in the paper. (clause)
Mary applied for a job advertised in the paper. (phrase)
2. RP + OTHER VERB (not BE) = OTHER VERB + ing
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.(clause)
People living in glass houses should not throw stones. (phrase)
Students who sit in the front row usually participate more. (clause)
Students sitting in the front row usually participate more. (phrase)