Noun Clause

Many people are fairly comfortable with the idea of nouns, but they might not feel
so confident when it comes to the idea of a noun clause. Noun clauses come in
a variety of forms; and learning about each form is the best way to understand
the concept of noun clauses.

Purpose of a Noun Clause

Noun clauses can be used in a number of ways, and they serve different
purposes. First and foremost, please recognize that these clauses aredependent
clauses. A dependent clause is one that cannot stand by itself. If a dependent
clause is placed alone, it forms a fragment, not a sentence. An independent
clause can act as a sentence by itself, but dependent clauses cannot.

Subject of a Verb
A noun clause can act as a subject of a verb, and we will break down what that
means after a couple of examples. This clause is acting as the subject of a verb
is present in:
What Alicia said made her friends cry.
What Megan wrote surprised her family.
What the man did was not very polite.
When there's a verb in the sentence, you must find the subject. Therefore, in the
first we can ask "What made?" and the answer is "What Alicia said." Therefore,
"What Alicia said" is the subject of that verb. In the next case, we can ask "What
surprised?" and the answer is "What Megan wrote." Do you now see how a noun
clause can act as a subject of a verb?

Object of a Verb
In the same vein, noun clauses can also act as the object of a verb:
She didn't know that the directions were wrong.
He didn't realize that the stove was off.
They now understand that you should not cheat on a test.
Once again, we can use the method of questioning to demonstrate how the noun
clause is being used. What didn't she know? What didn't he realize? And what

do they now understand? The answer in all three cases is the noun clause!

Subject Complement
Let's pick up the pace a little bit, and let's see if you can figure out how these
noun clauses are actually answers to questions within the sentence.
Carlie's problem was that she didn't do the wash.
Harry's crowning achievement was his 4.0 GPA.
Darla's television was a 60 inch screen.
Once again, do you see what questions these noun clauses answer and how
they relate to the subject? What was Carlie's problem? What was Harry's
crowning achievement? What was Darla's television? Without these clauses, the
sentences would not be complete thoughts grammaticaly, nor would they sound
complete at all.

Object of a Preposition
Noun clauses also act as objects of a preposition.
Harry is not the provider of what Margie needs.
Josephine is not resposible for what Alex decided to do.
Allie is the owner of that blue car.
Once again, Harry is not the provider of what? Josephine is not responsible for
what? Allie is the owner of what?

Adjective Complement
Last but not least, a noun clause can also act as an adjective complement.
The group is happy that Meg returned home.
The child is sad that his stomach hurts.
The family is excited that they bought a new house.
One more time with feeling: Why is the group happy? Why is the child sad? Why
is the family excited?

Selecting a Type of Noun Clause

Using noun clauses in everyday speech is a fairly common practice, as noun
clauses add often crucial information to sentences. However, learning to
differentiate between the various types can be difficult.

If you're in a position where you have to decide which form the noun clause is
taking, consider the options carefully, and consult a grammar guide if you need
additional assistance.