Noun Clause-Definition, Examples, types, uses, exercise

To work with grammar in a proper way is to understand the fundamentals and its way of working. In this Chapter proper care has been taken to make sure that we reach to the understanding of the students in a comprehensive way. Let us find this out in Noun Clause-Definition, Examples, types, uses, exercise

What is a NOUN clause?

A noun clause is a type of dependent clause that functions as a noun within a sentence. Noun clauses typically begin with words like “that,” “whether,” “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “why,” “when,” “where,” and “how.” They can act as the subject, object, or complement of a sentence, just like a single-word noun. Noun clauses can give more information about the noun of the main clause, and provide more specific details about the noun that the main clause is talking about.

Here are a few examples of noun clauses:

I know [that he is coming to the party]. (The noun clause “that he is coming to the party” is the object of the verb “know.”)
[Whether we will go to the park] depends on the weather. (The noun clause “Whether we will go to the park” is the subject of the sentence.)
She wants to know [when the train will arrive]. (The noun clause “when the train will arrive” is the object of the preposition “know.”)

In the above examples, the noun clauses are enclosed in brackets. It can be simple, compound or complex, as well as independent or dependent based on the structure of the sentence.

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Definition of a Noun Clause

A noun clause is a clause that functions as a noun within a sentence. It usually consists of a subject and a verb, and it typically begins with words like “that,” “whether,” “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “why,” “when,” “where,” and “how.” Noun clauses can act as the subject, object, or complement of a sentence, just like single-word nouns. They can provide additional information about the noun of the main clause, and they can give more specific details about the noun that the main clause is talking about.

Noun clauses can be simple, compound, or complex, depending on the structure of the clause. Simple noun clauses consist of a single clause with a subject and a verb. Compound noun clauses consist of two or more clauses joined together. Complex noun clauses consist of one clause embedded within another. Noun clauses can also be independent or dependent. An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, while a dependent clause cannot.

In summary, a noun clause is a dependent clause that functions as a noun, and can provide additional information about the noun of the main clause and give more specific details about the noun that the main clause is talking about.

How is a NOUN Clause formed?

A noun clause is formed by using certain words called “subordinating conjunctions” that signal that the clause that follows is going to act as a noun. These words are typically “that,” “whether,” “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “why,” “when,” “where,” and “how”.

Here are a few examples of how noun clauses are formed:

By using the word “that”:
- I know that he is coming to the party. (The word “that” signals that the clause “he is coming to the party” is going to act as a noun, and it functions as the object of the verb “know.”)
By using the word “whether”:
- Whether we will go to the park depends on the weather. (The word “whether” signals that the clause “we will go to the park” is going to act as a noun, and it functions as the subject of the sentence.)
By using the word “who”:
- She is the person who I met at the party. (The word “who” signals that the clause “I met at the party” is going to act as a noun, and it functions as the complement of the noun “person”.)

It is worth to mention that, besides these conjunctions, other words such as, “if” and “that” can also be used to start a noun clause.

In a Noun Clause the subject and the verb are required, it’s basically a full clause that can have other elements such as objects and complements. Noun clauses can also be embedded within other clauses, making them dependent on other clauses.

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Types of Noun Clauses

There are several different types of noun clauses, which can be classified based on their function within a sentence, their structure, and the words that begin them. Here are a few common types of noun clauses:

Subject noun clauses: These clauses function as the subject of a sentence. For example, “Whether it will rain is uncertain”
Object noun clauses: These clauses function as the object of a verb or a preposition. For example, “I wonder what he said”, “She knows where he is going”
Complement noun clauses: These clauses function as the complement of a subject or an object noun. For example, “The fact that she left is surprising”, “I know she is happy”
Relative clauses: These clauses are used to modify a noun or pronoun and usually introduce by a relative pronoun such as “who”, “that”, “which”, “whom”, “whose”. “The man who I met yesterday is a scientist.”
Indirect question clauses: These clauses usually start with ‘if’ or ‘whether’ and function as an indirect question, giving the information about what is being questioned in the main clause. For example: “I wonder if the train will come on time.”
Infinitive clauses: these clauses begin with the infinitive form of the verb, and they can act as noun in a sentence. They are very useful to express purpose. For example, “I have a plan to finish this project”.

It’s important to note that these categories are not mutually exclusive and sometimes a noun clause could be classified as more than one type depending on the context.

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It’s also good to mention that a noun clause can be complex, compound or simple, it can depend on the presence of other clauses or the structure of the clause. In a simple noun clause the subject and the verb are the only two elements, in a compound noun clause two clauses are joined together and in a complex noun clause one clause is embedded within another.

Subjective Noun Clause

A subject noun clause is a clause that functions as the subject of a sentence. It typically begins with a subordinating conjunction (such as “that,” “whether,” “if,” “because,” “since,” etc.) and includes a subject and a verb. For example, in the sentence “I know that the sun will rise tomorrow,” the subject noun clause is “that the sun will rise tomorrow.”

Subject noun clauses can also begin with a relative pronoun such as “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” “that” when referring to a person or thing previously mentioned.

Examples of subject noun clauses :

“That the earth is round is a well-established fact.”
“Whether or not it rains, the concert will go on.”
“If I win the lottery, I will donate a portion of the money to charity.”
“Because the road was blocked, we had to take a detour.”

It is important to note that a subject noun clause is not an independent clause and cannot stand alone as a sentence by itself. It needs to be combined with an independent clause in order to form a complete sentence.

In summary, subject noun clauses are clauses that function as the subject of a sentence and typically begin with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. They are not independent clauses and cannot stand alone.

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Object noun clause

An object noun clause is a clause that functions as the object of a verb or a preposition in a sentence. It typically begins with a subordinating conjunction (such as “that,” “whether,” “if,” “because,” “since,” etc.) and includes a subject and a verb.

For example, in the sentence “I wonder what time it is,” the object noun clause is “what time it is.” In this sentence, the clause “what time it is” is the object of the verb “wonder.”

Just like subject noun clauses, object noun clauses can also begin with a relative pronoun like ‘who’,’whom’,’that’,’which’ when referring to a person or thing previously mentioned.

Examples of object noun clauses :

“I don’t know that he is coming to the party” Here “that he is coming to the party” is an object noun clause
“I am not sure who they were talking to.” Here “who they were talking to” is an object noun clause.
“She told me how to get there.” Here “how to get there” is an object noun clause.

It is important to note that an object noun clause is not an independent clause and cannot stand alone as a sentence by itself. It needs to be combined with an independent clause in order to form a complete sentence.

In summary, object noun clauses are clauses that function as the object of a verb or preposition in a sentence. They typically begin with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun, are not independent clauses, and cannot stand alone as a sentence.

Complement noun clauses

A complement noun clause is a clause that functions as a complement to the subject of a sentence. A complement is a word or group of words that is necessary to complete the meaning of a subject or a predicate. In other words, a complement noun clause provides additional information about the subject of the sentence, and is often introduced by a verb such as “be,” “seem,” “appear,” “become,” etc.

For example, in the sentence “It is clear that the sky is blue,” the complement noun clause is “that the sky is blue.” The clause “that the sky is blue” complements the subject “it” by providing more information about what is clear.

Examples of complement noun clauses:

“It seems that the plan will work.”
“He is convinced that he can do it.”
“She appeared to be happy.”
“It became clear that something was wrong.”

Just like subject and object noun clause, complement noun clauses can also begin with a relative pronoun like ‘that’,’which’,’whom’,’who’ when referring to a person or thing previously mentioned.

It is important to note that a complement noun clause is not an independent clause and cannot stand alone as a sentence by itself. It needs to be combined with an independent clause in order to form a complete sentence.

In summary, a complement noun clause is a clause that functions as a complement to the subject of a sentence, providing additional information about the subject. They typically begin with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun, are not independent clauses and cannot stand alone as a sentence.

Relative clauses

A relative clause is a clause that modifies a noun or pronoun. It typically begins with a relative pronoun such as “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “that,” or “which,” and includes a subject and a verb. The noun or pronoun being modified is called the antecedent.

For example, in the sentence “The man who was standing by the door is my friend,” the relative clause is “who was standing by the door.” The antecedent of the relative clause is “the man.” The relative clause provides additional information about “the man” by specifying which man is being referred to.

Relative clauses can be classified as restrictive and non-restrictive.

A restrictive relative clause, also known as defining relative clauses, provides essential information to identify the noun it modifies. They do not have commas around them. For example, “The book that I am reading is very interesting.”
A non-restrictive relative clause, also known as non-defining relative clauses, provides additional information about the noun it modifies but it is not necessary to identify the noun. They are always set off by commas. For example, “My sister, who is a doctor, is coming over for dinner.”

Some other examples of relative clauses:

“The car, which had a flat tire, was abandoned on the side of the road.”
“The people who live in this city are very friendly.”
“The woman whose purse was stolen is filing a police report.”
“The shirt that I bought yesterday is too small.”

In summary, a relative clause is a clause that modifies a noun or pronoun by providing additional information about it. It typically begins with a relative pronoun and includes a subject and a verb. Relative clauses can be restrictive or non-restrictive, the difference being restrictive clauses provide essential information and non-restrictive provides additional information.

Indirect question Noun clauses

An indirect question noun clause is a clause that functions as the object of a verb or preposition and contains information that is asked for in an indirect question. For example, in the sentence “I don’t know what he said,” “what he said” is an indirect question noun clause that functions as the object of the verb “know.”

here are a few examples of indirect question noun clauses:

“Can you tell me when the meeting starts?” (In this sentence, “when the meeting starts” is an indirect question noun clause that functions as the object of the verb “tell.”)
“I wonder who will be attending the party.” (In this sentence, “who will be attending the party” is an indirect question noun clause that functions as the object of the verb “wonder.”)
“I’m not sure how to fix this problem.” (In this sentence, “how to fix this problem” is an indirect question noun clause that functions as the object of the verb “sure.”)
“I don’t know what you mean by that.” (In this sentence, “what you mean by that” is an indirect question noun clause that functions as the object of the verb “know.”)
“Do you have any idea where he went?” (In this sentence, “where he went” is an indirect question noun clause that functions as the object of the preposition “idea.”)

Infinitive Noun clauses

An infinitive noun clause is a clause that begins with an infinitive verb (to + verb) and functions as a noun in a sentence. For example:

“To swim is good for your health.” (In this sentence, “to swim” is an infinitive noun clause that functions as the subject of the sentence.)
“Her goal is to become a doctor.” (In this sentence, “to become a doctor” is an infinitive noun clause that functions as the object of the verb “is.”)
“It’s important for children to learn how to read.” (In this sentence, “to learn how to read” is an infinitive noun clause that functions as the object of the preposition “for.”)
“He seems unwilling to compromise.” (In this sentence, “to compromise” is an infinitive noun clause that functions as the object of the adjective “unwilling.”)

We often use Infinitive clauses to express purpose, intent, or goal.

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Difference between a Noun, a Noun Phrase and a Noun Clause

A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. For example, “dog,” “city,” “book,” and “happiness” are all nouns.

A noun phrase is a group of words that includes a noun as well as any words that modify or give more information about the noun. For example, “the big brown dog,” “the bustling city of New York,” “the well-written book,” and “the feeling of happiness” are all noun phrases because they include a noun and additional words that provide more information about the noun.

A noun clause is a group of words that function as a noun within a sentence. A noun clause can be a subject, object, or complement of a sentence. It contains a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete thought. For example, “that the dog is friendly” is a noun clause, “I think,” is a noun clause as well as “what he said” are also noun clauses because they function as a noun within a sentence and contain a subject and a verb, but do not express a complete thought.

In summary:

A noun is a single word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
A noun phrase is a group of words that includes a noun as well as any words that modify or give more information about the noun.
A noun clause is a group of words that functions as a noun within a sentence, containing a subject and a verb, but not expressing a complete thought.

Exercise on Noun Clause

Identify the noun clauses in the following sentences:

a. I don’t know what he said. b. She asked me where I had been. c. I think that the movie was boring. d. He explained how to fix the problem. e. They wondered whether it would rain.

Answers: a. “what he said” is a noun clause b. “where I had been” is a noun clause c. “that the movie was boring” is a noun clause d. “how to fix the problem” is a noun clause e. “whether it would rain” is a noun clause

Rewrite the following sentences, replacing the underlined noun clauses with appropriate nouns:

a. I don’t know the reason. b. She asked me the location. c. I think the conclusion. d. He explained the solution. e. They wondered the outcome.

Answers: a. I don’t know the reason b. She asked me the location c. I think the conclusion d. He explained the solution e. They wondered the outcome

Create a sentence using the following noun clause: “whether he will come or not”

Answer: “I am not sure whether he will come or not”

Create a sentence using the following noun phrase: “the new book by J.K. Rowling”

Answer: “The new book by J.K. Rowling is a best seller.”

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Join the following sentences using the Noun clause

The weather is hot. I don’t like it.

I don’t like that the weather is hot.
I don’t like the fact that the weather is hot.

He is late. I am worried.

I am worried that he is late.
The reason I am worried is because he is late.

I don’t understand. You are speaking too fast.

The reason I don’t understand is because you are speaking too fast.
What I don’t understand is that you are speaking too fast.

He is my brother. He is tall.

The fact that he is my brother is true.
The person who is tall is my brother.

I am going to the store. I need to buy groceries.

The reason I am going to the store is to buy groceries.
What I need to buy is groceries.

The concert is tonight. I want to go.

I want to go to the concert tonight.
What I want is to go to the concert tonight.

He is my teacher. I respect him.

The person who I respect is my teacher.
The reason I respect him is that he is my teacher.

She is my sister. She is kind.

The fact that she is my sister is true.
The person who is kind is my sister.

I lost my keys. I am looking for them.

What I am looking for is my lost keys.
The reason I am looking for them is that I lost my keys.

They are going on vacation. They are excited.

The reason they are excited is that they are going on vacation.
What they are excited about is going on vacation.