1. Noun Clauses
Chapter 12

2. Introduction
A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.
An independent clause can stand as a complete sentence.
Sue lives in Tokyo
A dependent clause has a s + v, but is not a complete sentence.
Where Sue lives

3. Noun Clause
Below is a complete sentence with an independent clause (I know) and a dependent clause (where Sue lives):
I know where Sue lives.
Where Sue lives is a noun clause
A noun clause has the same use in a sentence as a noun: it is used as an object or a subject.

4. Noun Clause Examples I know what he said. What he said is true.
What he said is the object of know
What he said is true.
What he said is the subject of is

5. Practice Find the noun clause. One sentence does not have a noun clause.
My friend told me that she rented a bike in Paris.
That she was willing to ride a bike in the city traffic impressed me.
I wondered how she was able to rent the bike.
She told me that it was easy.
Where did you go to rent the bike?
She told me where she went to rent the bike.
I asked her what she paid to rent the bike.

6. Practice Answers My friend told me that she rented a bike in Paris.
That she was willing to ride a bike in the city traffic impressed me.
I wondered how she was able to rent the bike.
She told me that it was easy.
Where did you go to rent the bike? (No Noun Clause)
She told me where she went to rent the bike.
I asked her what she paid to rent the bike.

7. Practice
Complete Exercises 2 & 3, p. 243

8. Noun Clauses Beginning with Question Words
In a noun clause, the subject precedes (comes before) the verb. Do not use usual question word order in a noun clause:
I don’t know where she lives. Vs. Where does she live?
I couldn’t hear what she said. Vs. What did she say?
Do you know when they arrive? Vs. When do they arrive?

9. Noun Clauses Beginning with Question Words
If who is the subject of both a question and a noun clause, the word order will be the same:
I don’t know who lives there.
Who lives there?
If another noun is the subject of the question, who is placed in front of the verb in the noun clause:
Who are those men? I don’t know who those men are.
Whose house is that? I don’t know whose house that is.

10. Noun Clauses Beginning with Question Words
A question word noun clause can also be the subject of a sentence:
What she said surprised me.
Where he got married was very pretty.
A question word noun clause used as a subject takes a singular verb:
What they should do is obvious.
What my classes are studying has to be clear.

11. Practice
Complete Exercises 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, p

12. Noun Clauses Beginning with Whether/If
When a yes/no question is changed to a noun clause, whether or if is used to introduce the clause:
Will she come?
I don’t know whether she will come.
I don’t know if she will come.
Does he need help?
I wonder whether he needs help.
I wonder if he needs help.

13. Noun Clauses Beginning with Whether/If
Or not can be added to whether/if clauses. It does not change the meaning.
With whether it can come directly after whether or at the end of the clause:
I wonder whether or not he will come.
I wonder whether he will come or not.
With if it comes after the clause:
I wonder if he will come or not.
NOT: I wonder if or not he will come.

14. Noun Clauses Beginning with Whether/If
Whether/if clauses can also be used as subjects:
Whether she comes (or not) is unimportant to me.
If he passes (or not) is very important for his future.

15. Practice
Exercises 14 and 18, p

16. Question Words Followed by Infinitives
Question words may be followed by an infinitive (to + verb):
I don’t know what I should do = I don’t know what to do.
Please tell me how I can get to the bus station = Please tell me how to get to the bus station.
Jim told us where we could find it = Jim told us where to find it.
Notice that the meaning expressed by the infinitive = should or can/could

17. Practice
Complete Exercises 21 and 22, p. 252

18. Noun Clauses Beginning with That
A noun clause beginning with THAT is often used as an object for many verbs (see p. 253 for a longer list):
Agree that feel that know that remember that
Believe that learn that say that decide that
Forget that promise that
I think that Bob will come.
I believe that my students will pass.
I know that you need to study to pass the test.
*In speaking, THAT is often dropped
I think Bob will come.
He agrees we should open the store.
I think you will pass.

19. Practice
Complete Exercise 24, p. 254

20. Noun Clauses Beginning with THAT
Person + be + Adjective + THAT clause
THAT clauses commonly follow certain adjectives when the subject refers to a person or people (see p. 253 for a longer list):
Afraid certain happy sorry amazed
Confident surprised worried glad angry
Proud aware

21. Noun Clauses Beginning with THAT
Examples:
I am aware that you don’t understand.
Sarah is glad that her team won the game.
Hank and Jenna are disappointed that they can’t go on vacation.

22. Practice Choose 5 questions from Exercise 25, p. 254.
Write an answer for the 5 questions
Use person + be + adjective + that clause in your answers

23. Noun Clause Beginning with THAT
It + be + adjective + that clause
Sentences that begin with IT IS + ADJ commonly have a THAT noun clause (see p for a longer list)
It’s amazing It’s interesting It’s obvious It’s true
It’s clear It’s likely It’s possible It’s surprising

24. Noun Clauses Beginning with THAT
Examples:
It’s nice that you want to help your sister.
It’s lucky that we saw you before you left.
It’s good that your teacher looks like Brad Pitt.

25. Practice Write a sentence describing something that is: Amazing
Strange
Important
Surprising
Use the it’s + adj + that clause sentence pattern

26. Noun Clauses Beginning with THAT
THAT clause as a subject:
It is possible, but uncommon, for THAT clauses to be used as the subject of a sentence. The word THAT is not omitted in this situation:
That Ann likes her new job is clear.
That we have to walk to class everyday is a big disadvantage.
Usually, the THAT clause will begin with the fact that or it is a fact that:
The fact that Ann likes her new job is clear.
It is a fact that walking to class everyday is a big disadvantage.

27. Practice
Complete Exercise 26, p. 254

28. Reported Speech
Reported speech refers to using a noun clause to report what someone else has said. It is NOT a direct quotation and no quotation marks are used:
Quotation: He said, “You have to complete your homework.”
Reported Speech: He said (that) you have to complete your homework.
THAT is often dropped, but it is correct both ways.

29. Reported Speech
If the reporting verb (the main verb of the sentence – said, thought, heard, etc.) is simple past, the verb in the noun clause will usually also be in a past form (see p for all verb forms):
I watch TV everyday = She said she watched TV everyday.
I am watching TV = She said she was watching TV.
I watched TV = She said she had watched TV.
I will watch TV = She said she would watch TV.

30. Reported Speech Exceptions:
I may watch TV = She said she might (may) watch TV.
MAY often gets changed to MIGHT

31. Reported Speech More Exceptions Should, ought to, might do not change:
I should watch TV = She said she should watch TV.
I might watch TV = She may/might watch TV.
I ought to watch TV = She said she ought to watch TV.

32. Reported Speech
In informal/spoken English, sometimes no change is made in the noun clause verb, especially if the speaker is reporting something immediately or soon after it was said:
Immediate:
The teacher just said he wants us to read Chapter 6.
John just told me he is skipping the next class.
Later:
Last week, the teacher said he wanted us to read Chapter 6.
Yesterday, John told me he was skipping the next class.

33. Reported Speech
The present tense verb is used when the reported speech deals with a general truth:
The world is round = She said the world is round.
It often rains in March = She said it often rains in March.
Basset Hounds are lazy dogs. = She said Basset Hounds are lazy dogs.

34. Reported Speech
When the reporting verb is simple present (says, etc.), present perfect (has said), or future (will say, etc.), the noun clause verb does not change.
I watch TV every day.
Does she watch a lot of tv? She says she watches TV every day.
Has she said whether or not she watches a lot of TV? She has said she watches TV every day.
What will her answer be if I ask her how much TV she watches? She will say she watches TV every day.

35. Reported Speech
An imperative sentence is changed to an infinitive. TELL is used instead of SAY as the reporting verb:
Watch TV. = She told me to watch TV.
Please be quiet. = She told me to be quiet.
*TELL is followed immediately by an object.

36. Practice Complete Exercise 37, p. 262 – evens only

37. Using –ever words The following –ever words give the idea of “any”:
Whoever
Whoever wants to come is welcome.
Anyone that wants to come is welcome.
Whatever
He always says whatever he thinks.
He always says anything he thinks.
Whenever
You may leave whenever you wish.
You may leave any time you wish.

38. Using –ever Words Wherever However She can go wherever she wants to.
She can go anywhere she wants to.
However
Students may dress however they please.
Students can dress any way they please.

39. Practice Complete Exercise 49, p. 269 Complete Exercise 44, p. 266
Complete Chapter 12 Review Packet