AbOuT NOuN cLaUSe

Noun clauses perform eight main grammatical functions within sentences in the English language. Both native speakers and ESL students must learn the eight functions to fully and correctly use noun clauses in spoken and written English. The eight functions of noun clauses are:
1. Subject
2. Subject complement
3. Direct object
4. Object complement
5. Indirect object
6. Prepositional complement
7. Adjective phrase complement
8. Appositive

Noun clauses are defined as subordinate or dependent clauses formed by a subordinating conjunction followed by a clause. Noun clauses perform nominal functions, or functions prototypically performed by noun phrases.

1. Noun Clauses as Subjects
The first grammatical function that noun clauses can perform is the subject. Subjects are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that perform the action of or act upon the predicate. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as subjects:
- Whoever ate my lunch is in big trouble.
- That the museum cancelled the lecture disappoints me.

2. Noun Clauses as Subject Complements
The second grammatical function that noun clauses can perform is the subject complement. Subject complements are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that follow a copular verb and describe the subject. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as subject complements:
- The truth was that the moving company lost all your furniture.
- The first place winner will be whoever swims the farthest in an hour.

3. Noun Clauses as Direct Objects
The third grammatical function that noun clauses can perform is the direct object. Direct objects are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that follow and receive the action of a transitive verb. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as direct objects:
- The counselor has been wondering if she chose the right career.
- Do you know when the train should arrive?

4. Noun Clauses as Object Complements
The fourth grammatical function that noun clauses can perform is the object complement. Object complements are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that directly follow and describe the direct object. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as object complements:
- The committee has announced the winner whoever wrote the essay on noun clauses.
- I have often declared the problem that most students do not understand grammar.

5. Noun Clauses as Indirect Objects
The fifth grammatical function that noun clauses can perform is the indirect object. Indirect objects are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that follow a ditransitive verb and indicate to or for whom or what is action of the verb is performed. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as indirect objects:
- The judge will give what you said some deliberation during her decision.
- The group has given that most Americans do not support their cause little consideration.

6. Noun Clauses as Prepositional Complements
The sixth grammatical function that noun clauses can perform is the prepositional complement. Prepositional complements are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that directly follow a preposition to complete the meaning of the prepositional phrase. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as prepositional complements:
- Some people believe in whatever organized religion tells them.
- We have been waiting for whoever will pick us up from the party.

7. Noun Clauses as Adjective Phrase Complements
The seventh grammatical function that noun clauses can perform is the adjective phrase complement. Adjective phrase complements are defined as phrases and clauses that complete the meaning of an adjective phrase. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as adjective phrase complements:
- The toddler was surprised that throwing a tantrum did not get him his way.
- My brother is angry that someone dented his new car.
Noun clauses most often function as adjective phrase complements when the adjective phrase is performing the function of subject complement.

8. Noun Clauses as Appositives

The eighth grammatical function that noun clauses can perform is the appositive. Appositives are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that describe or explain another noun phrase. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as appositives:
- The problem, that the storm knocked out power, is affecting the entire town.
- Your question, whether you should wear the blue dress or pink one, is frivolous in the situation.

The eight functions of noun clauses in English are subject, subject complement, direct object, object complement, indirect object, prepositional complement, adjective phrase complement, and appositive. Both native speakers and ESL students must learn the eight functions in order to properly and fully use the English language in both spoken and written forms.

Noun clauses are clauses that are a function as a noun. Accordance to type of original sentence, noun clause can be classified as 4 sentences are :

1. Statement
a. Conjunction word is "that"
b. Clause Function as :
1) Subject Sentence
Kangaroo lives in Australia (statement)
That Kangaroo lives is Australia is well known to all (Noun Clause)
2) Subject Sentence after “it”
It is well known to all that Kangaroo lives in Australia
3) Object complementation
My conclusion is that Kangaroo lives in Australia
4) Object verb
All people understand well that Kangaroo lives in Australia
5) Appositive
My conclusion that Kangaroo lives is Australia is correct.

2. Question
a. Yes/No Question
1) Conjunction word is " whether (or not/or if)"
2) Clause Function as :
a) Subject sentence
- Can she drive the car? (Question)
- Whether she can drive the car doesn't concern me. (Noun Clause)
= Whether or not she can drive the car doesn't concern me. (Noun Clause)
= Whether she can drive the car or not doesn't concern me. (Noun Clause)
= Whether or if she can drive the car doesn't concern me. (Noun Clause)

b) Object complement
My question is whether she can drive the car.

c) Object verb
I really wonder whether she can drive the car (or not).

d) Object preposition
We discussed about whether she can drive the car.

b. Wh- Question
1) Conjunction word is "question its self"
2) Clause Function as :

a) Subject sentence
- What is he doing? (Question)
- What she is doing doesn't concern me. (Noun Clause)

b) Object complement
My question is what she is doing.

c) Object verb

I really wonder what she is doing.
d) Object preposition
We discussed about what she is doing.

3. Request
1) Conjunction word is "that"
2) Clause Function as :
a) Subject sentence
- Read the book! (Request)
- He suggested that I read the book. (Noun Clause)

4. Exclamation
1) Conjunction word is " question that use at the sentence its self "
2) Clause Function as :
a) Subject sentence
- What a pretty girl she is? (Exclamation)
- I never realize what a pretty girl she is. (Noun Clause)

b) Object preposition
We are talking about what a pretty girl she is.


The following word of noun clause :

1. Noun clauses that begin with a question word:
The following question words can be used to introduce a noun clause:
When, where, why, how, who, whom, what, whish, whose.

Where does she study?
I can find where she studies.

What time is it?
I don’t know what time it is.

What did he say?
Do you know what he said?

The question word order (do, did, does) is not used in the noun clause.

2. Noun clauses with who what whose + BE:
Who is this boy? (Verb subject)
I know who this boy is.

Whose book is this? (Verb subject)
I don’t know whose book this is.

A noun or pronoun that follows the main verb BE in
a question comes in front of BE in a noun clause.

Who is in the car? (Verb subject)
Do you know who is in the car?

Whose book is on the table? (Verb subject)
I know whose book on the table.

3. A prepositional phrase does not come in front of BE in a noun clause.

Who comes to the party?
Tell us who comes to the party.

What happened?
Can you please tell me what happened?

When the subject of a question is the question word: who & What, usual question word order is no used. In this case the word order is the same in both the question and the noun clause.

4. Noun clauses which begin with IF or WHETHER:
Are you ready?
I don’t know if you are ready. (Object)

Did you write a letter?
Tell us if you wrote a letter.

Does she like speaking ?
I wonder if she likes speaking.

When a YES/NO question is changed to a noun clause, IF is used to introduce a clause.

"Or not" can come at the end of the noun clause.
"Or not" comes immediately after whether, but not after if.


5. Noun clauses which begin with THAT:
I think that the test was complicated.
(=Noun clause = Object of the verb think)

The word THAT introduces a noun clause. That-clauses are frequently used as the objects of verbs which express mental activity.

She hopes he can come over.
The word that is often omitted, especially in speaking.

Common verbs followed by that-Clauses Assume that - Believe that - Discover that - Dream that - Guess that - Hear that - Hope that - Know that - Learn that - Notice that - Predict that - Prove that - Realize that - Suppose that - Suspect that - Think that – Agree that - Conclude that - Decide that - Demonstrate that - Doubt that - Fear that - Feel that - Figure out that - Find out that - Forget that - Imagine that - Indicate that - Observe that - Presume that - Pretend that - Read that - Recall that - Recognize that - Regret that - Remember - Reveal that - Show that - Teach that - Understand that - …

6. Noun clauses which Substituting SO for that-clauses in conversational responses:
Is he here?
I think so. (So = that he is here)

Does she think like you?
I believe so.

Did they see you?
I hope so.

Think, believe, and hope are followed by SO in conversational English in response to a YES/NO question.

So replaces that-clause.
Are you ready?
I don’t think so. (I don’t think that I am ready)
I don’t believe so.
I hope not.

Note the negative usage of think, believe and hope.

Other expressions:
Guess so, guess not - suppose, suppose not - be afraid so, be afraid not.

7. Noun clauses which Questions words followed by infinitives :
She doesn’t know what she should do.
She doesn’t know what to do.

He told him where he could find a key.
He told him where to find a key.

Tell her how she can solve this issue.
Tell her who can solve this issue.

Questions words and whether may be followed by an infinitive.
The meaning expressed by the infinitive is either should or can/could.

Sources
Hopper, Paul J. A Short Course in Grammar. W.W. Norton & Company: New York, 1999.
Huddleston, Rodney. Introduction to the Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1984.
The English Sentence. All rights reserved 2002.