What Are Noun Clauses?

(with Examples)
A noun clause is a clause that plays the role of a noun. For example (noun clauses
shaded):

I like what I see.

I know that the tide is turning.

I've met the man who won the lottery.

(Not all agree this is a noun clause. See Note on the right.)
Compare the three examples above to these:

I like cakes.
I know London.
I've met Madonna.
The words in bold are all nouns. This shows that shaded clauses in the first three
examples are functioning as nouns, making them noun clauses.
Like any noun, a noun clause can be a subject, an object, or a complement.
In a sentence, a noun clause will be a dependent clause. In other words, a noun
clause does not stand alone as a complete thought.

Examples of Noun Clauses

Here are some examples of noun clauses:

A person who trusts no one can't be trusted. (Jerome Blattner)

(This noun clause is the subject of the sentence.)
(Not all agree this is a noun clause. See Note on the right.)

That he believes his own story is remarkable. (Jerome Blattner)

(This noun clause is the subject of the sentence. Be aware that starting a
sentence with a noun clause starting That is acceptable, but it grates on lots of
people's ears. As a result, many writers prefer to precede it with "The fact".)

Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying. (Fran Lebowitz)
(This noun clause is the direct object of ask.)

He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes. (James Thurber,
1894-1961)
(This noun clause is the direct object of know.)

It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from
man. (H L Mencken, 1880-1956)
(This noun clause is the direct object of believe.)

I never know how much of what I say is true. (Bette Midler)

(This noun clause is an object of a preposition.)

Man is what he eats. (Ludwig Feuerbach)

(This noun clause is a subject complement.)

My one regret in life is that I am not someone else. (Woody Allen)

(This noun clause is a subject complement.)
An economist is a man who states the obvious in terms of the
incomprehensible. (Alfred A Knopf)
(This noun clause is a subject complement.)
(Not all agree this is a noun clause. See Note on the right.)
COMMON STARTS TO NOUN CLAUSES
Lots of noun clauses in English start with that, how, or a "wh"word (i.e.,what, who, which, when, where, why). For example:

I know that it happened.

I know how it happened.
I know why it happened.
DEFINITION OF A NOUN CLAUSE
A noun clause is a clause that functions as a noun. However, for many, that
definition is too generic. A multi-word noun will often contain another type of
clause, usually an adjective clause, which provides the verb required for a clause.
In the examples below, the multi-word nouns are shaded, and internal clauses are
in bold.

I've met the man who won the lottery.

(In this example, who won the lotteryis an adjective clause. Without it, the
multi-word noun wouldn't be a clause at all. It would be a phrase (e.g., the
lottery-winning man). There is a debate over whether an integral clause makes
the multi-word noun a clause.)
Here is another example:

A cynic is a man who looks around for a coffin when he smells

flowers. (H L Mencken, 1880-1956)
(In this example, who looks around for a coffin is an adjective clausemodified
by when he smells flowers(an adverbial clause). They are both part of the multiword noun (shaded text), but whether or not they make it a noun clause
appears to be up for debate.)
If you have a view on this, please tell us using this form.

Mi libro dice que "A noun clause can be a subject, a direct object, an
indirect object, a subject complement, or the object of a preposition.
El problema consiste en que no consigo identificar esto en las oraciones.
Te pongo slo un ejemplo de los varios que no entiendo.
Eg: Whatever happens during the day comes out in my music. (Subject)
Se supone que "Whatever... ... day" es el sujeto, pero para m el sujeto
es my.
Lo mismo que me pasa para identificar el sujeto me pasa para identificar

a direct object, etc.

Te agradezco cualquier explicacin que puedas darme, por mnima que sea.
Un abrazo, desde Uruguay
Laura
******
Respuesta:
Responde nuestra colaboradora, Mariela Starc.
Hola Laura!
Una Noun Clause (tambin llamada Nominal Clause) es una clusula que
funciona como un sustantivo o una frase nominal dentro de una oracin y,
como t bien dices, puede ocupar el lugar de sujeto, objeto, complemento
sujeto, complemento de una preposicin o de un adjetivo.
Para reconocer una noun clause podemos hacernos las preguntas What? Who(m)?
+ verbo. Por ejemplo:

What you did made me laugh.

What made me laugh? What you did.
Veamos ejemplos de noun clauses cumpliendo diferentes funciones en la
oracin:
1. Subject (sujeto)
- What Tommy said surprised his teacher - Lo que Tommy dijo sorprendi a su
maestro.
- Where you came from is not relevant.- De dnde viniste no es relevante.

2. Object (objeto)

- Anna's parents didn't know that she had missed school.- Los padres de Anna no
saban que ella haba faltado a la escuela.
- It doesn't matter where it came from.- No importa de dnde vino.

3. Subject complement (complemento sujeto)

- The reason for my delay was that I fell asleep.- La razn de mi retraso fue que me
qued dormido.

- Julia's mistake was that she didn't ask for help.- El error de Julia fue que no pidi
ayuda.

4. Prepositional complement (complemento de una preposicin)

- Peter is proud of what he did.- Pedro est orgulloso de lo que hizo.

- She is a little worried about who will replace the president.- Est un poco preocupada
sobre quin reemplazar al presidente.

5. Adjective complement (complemento de un adjetivo)

- We are happy that you have finally accepted the proposal.- Estamos felices de que
finalmente hayas aceptado la propuesta.
- I'm sure that they will arrive soon. - Estoy seguro de que llegarn pronto.
Ahora vamos a analizar el ejemplo que planteas: Whatever happens during the
day comes out in my music.
Aqu la noun clause es Whatever happens during the day y, en este caso,
funciona como el sujeto de la oracin.
El predicado es comes out in my music donde comes out es el verbo, que es
seguido por la frase preposicional in my music. En esta frase, el ncleo (palabra ms
importante, que define el tipo de frase) es la preposicin in y my music es el
complemento de la preposicin. En esta frase, my es un adjetivo posesivo que se
refiere a la persona o individuo que expresa esta afirmacin. No debemos confundir al

sujeto (persona o individuo que expresa un hecho, idea o pensamiento a travs de

una oracin) con el sujeto como parte de la oracin.

A noun clause (a group of words that has at least one subject and one verb) is a
subordinate or dependent clause that functions, as its name suggests, as a noun.
It can be a subject, direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition, or a
predicate nominative. This type of clause often starts with any one of these words
how, that, what, whatever,when, where, whether, which, whichever, who, whoe
ver, whom,whomever, whose, and why.
The noun clause is underlined in each of these sentences. Its function within the
sentence follows in the parentheses.
What you thought about that candidate is correct. (subject)
The paleontologist remembers when he met you at the conference. (direct
object)
Will these older folks recall how they were part of a terrific generation? (direct
object)
Remind whoever is on your discussion panel that we will meet tomorrow
morning in the library. (indirect object)
Give whoever needs that information the correct numbers. (indirect object)
Mr. Bellington reminded us of where we should obtain the necessary papers for
our licenses. (object of the preposition)
My children's request is that you wear your silly tie to the birthday party.
(predicate nominative)
The lady's wish is that you bring her some pansies and daisies. (predicate
nominative)

Activity 1- The Many Uses of the Noun Clause

Indicate the function of the underlined noun clause in each sentence. Write the
correct letter codes on the line preceding each sentence. Each function is used at
least once.