Noun Clauses

What are noun clauses?

A noun clause is a DEPENDENT CLAUSE (which will include its own subject and verb, and express an idea).
It  "is used as a subject of an object. In other words, a noun clause is used in the same ways as a noun."
(source: Azar (1989), Understanding and Using English Grammar, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall Regents, pg 263)

For practice finding noun clauses in sentences, let's try these practice exercises:

• Practice 1(printable- from English Grammar)
  
• Practice 2 (read or scroll past the explanation to find the exercise- from English Grammar 101)
  

How are noun clauses used in sentences?

• Here is an example of a noun clause utilized as the subject of a sentence: How she answered the question surprised me.
• Here, we see a noun clause used as the direct object of a verb: I wonder whose house that is.
• Here, the noun clause is used as the object of an adjective expression: It is obvious that they are tired.
• As an object of a preposition, the noun clause would look like this: I do not agree with what they said.
• Here, we can see a noun clause used as a predicate noun: His difficulty is that he cannot read.

For practice identifying how a noun clause is being used, try these exercises:

• Practice 3 (from Soft Schools)
• Practice 4 (printable- find AND identify its function)

In what kinds of situations do we use noun clauses?

In addition to the examples above, we might also use noun clauses in the following ways:

For indirect reported speech:

• I told him that we needed a new car.
• For more information about and practice with indirect reported speech, please visit this earlier blog post.

After certain verbs: (such as ask, advise, beg, demand, forbid, insist, order, prefer, propose, require, recommend, request, suggest, urge)

• She advised that we prepare a bit more extensively for our exams.
• We need a special verb form when we do this! Check out this
• PRACTICE 5: "Eng-vid"video and quiz for more information on the mysterious "subjunctive tense"

(Verb list from source: Lane & Lange (1993), Writing Clearly, 3rd ed., Heinle Cengage Learning, p 141)

To talk about "mental activity" (with such verbs as believe, decide, know, learn, realize, remember, think, understand)

• I believe that she has difficulty with noun clauses in her writing.

With "embedded questions":

• Could you please tell me what you are doing?
• For practice with embedded questions, try this:
• Practice 6 (from English Zone)
  

How many kinds of noun clauses are there, and what do they begin with?

They might begin with a question word: (what, when, where, who, why, how, whom, whose, which)

• I don't know why you are so stubborn.

They can begin with whether or if:

• I don't know if she will join us.
• I wonder whether we should wait for him.

They can begin with that:

• I know that she is late for class.
• It is obvious that she is tired. She is sleeping at her desk.

Where can I find more practice activities about noun clauses?

• Practice 7 (combine the sentences- from Grammar Bank)
  
• Practice 8 (word order- from Learn English Feel Good)
  
• Practice 9 (combine the sentences- from Spraz Ila)
  
• Practice 10 (word order, relative pronoun, etc.- challenging- from Grammar Quizzes)