Noun Clauses

A clause is a structure that has a subject and a verb. There are two kinds of clauses: independent and dependent.

An independent clause is a main clause and expresses a complete thought. It is a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete sentence. It must be part of an independent clause.

 Mary is a student. (independent clause) What were you doing? (independent clause) What you were doing (dependent clause) I saw what you were doing. (dependent clause)

Where is your book? (independent clause) I know where your book is. (dependent clause)

Noun Phrase
A phrase is a group of words that doesnt contain a subject and verb. A noun phrase is used as the subject or object in a sentence.

This book was published last year. (noun phrase/subject) I read this book. (noun phrase/object)

Noun Clause
A noun clause has a subject and verb. It is used as the subject or object in a sentence. A noun clause is a dependent clause that works like a noun. You can find it as a subject or object.
noun clause

I read what she wrote.

noun clause

What she wrote is interesting.

Noun Clauses Beginning with Question Words

Wh- clauses begin with words like who, what, how, whenever, which, etc.

I need to explain what a noun clause is. I don't know where Mary lives. noun clause Tell me how old she is. First, you need to explain what a noun clause is.

What is a noun clause? Where does Mary live? How old is she?

questions

Questions

Noun Clauses

What do you do in class? Where does he work?

What we do in class is easy. Where he works is a secret.

What should I do?

Who are they? What happened?

I dont know what you should do.

Mary knows who they are. She knows what happened.

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Noun Clauses Beginning with Whether or If

When a Yes/No question is changed to a noun clause, whether or if is used to introduce the noun clause.

I don't know whether you have studied noun clauses before. I don't know if you have studied noun clauses before. I wonder if it will rain tomorrow. I wonder if it will rain tomorrow or not. I wonder whether or not Mary went to work yesterday. I wonder whether Mary went to work yesterday or not. Whether he invites her or not is important.

Question Words Followed by Infinitive

Question words (when, where, how, who, whom, whose, what, which) and whether may be followed by an infinitive. My mother told me where to go. My mother told me where I should go.

He cant decide whether to accept the offer or not. He cant decide whether he should accept the offer or not.
Please tell me how to operate this machine. Please tell me how I could operate this machine.

Noun Clauses Beginning with That

I think that the war will end soon. object of the verb think I think the war will end soon. I know (that) he will be successful. Teachers claim that grammar is fun.

That Mary studied very hard was obvious to John.

(That Mary studied very hard) is the subject of the sentence.

That pollution affects the quality of our lives is obvious. It is obvious that pollution affects the quality of our lives. That he is still alive is a miracle. It is a miracle that he is still alive.

Noun Clauses Beginning with That

I think that the war will end soon. object of the verb think I think the war will end soon. I know (that) he will be successful. Teachers claim that grammar is fun.

That Mary studied very hard was obvious to John. (That Mary studied very hard) is the subject of the sentence. That smoking is an unhealthy habit is a known fact. It is a known fact that smoking is an unhealthy habit. It is a miracle that he is still alive.