Noun Clauses in English Grammar and How to Use Them

Summary

This video explains noun clauses in English, a type of dependent clause that cannot stand alone and must connect to an independent clause. It covers key conjunctions such as that, what, who, and whether, and demonstrates how noun clauses function in sentences—as subjects, objects, subject complements, objects of prepositions, and adjective complements. The video provides clear examples for each case, shows how to distinguish noun clauses from questions, and highlights that conjunctions can sometimes serve as the subject of a clause. By the end, viewers gain a practical understanding of how to identify, write, and use noun clauses effectively in their writing.

Takeaways

• 😀 Noun clauses are dependent clauses that cannot stand alone as complete sentences.
• 😀 Conjunctions such as that, what, who, whom, whose, if, whether, when, where, why, whoever, whomever, and whichever are used to introduce noun clauses.
• 😀 A noun clause can function as the subject of a sentence, e.g., 'What she saw that night was unbelievable.'
• 😀 Noun clauses can also function as the object of a sentence, e.g., 'The woman wanted to know who the new manager was.'
• 😀 Noun clauses can act as subject complements with linking verbs like 'is' or 'seems', e.g., 'The restaurant isn’t what I would call expensive.'
• 😀 Noun clauses can serve as the object of a preposition, e.g., 'He was responsible for what he had done.'
• 😀 Noun clauses can be used as adjective complements to provide more information about a subject, e.g., 'He was satisfied that the advertisement had worked so well.'
• 😀 The subject of a noun clause can sometimes be the conjunction itself, e.g., 'What worries me is the price.'
• 😀 Sentences can contain two noun clauses, one acting as the subject and the other as the object, e.g., 'That it looks like rain is what worries me.'
• 😀 A key distinction: in a noun clause, the subject comes before the verb, unlike in questions where the verb comes before the subject.
• 😀 Noun clauses help provide additional information, clarify reasons, and complete the meaning of the main sentence.

Q & A

What is a noun clause?

A noun clause is a dependent clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and must be connected to an independent clause.

How does a noun clause differ from an independent clause?

An independent clause can be a sentence on its own, whereas a noun clause cannot form a complete sentence by itself.

What role do conjunctions play in noun clauses?

Conjunctions are connecting words that introduce noun clauses, such as that, which, who, whom, whose, what, if, whether, when, where, why, whoever, whomever, whenever, wherever, whichever.

Can you give an example of a noun clause used as the subject of a sentence?

Yes. In the sentence 'What she saw that night was unbelievable,' the noun clause 'What she saw that night' is the subject.

How can you distinguish a noun clause from a question?

In a noun clause, the subject comes before the verb (e.g., 'what she was making'), whereas in a question, the verb comes before the subject (e.g., 'What was she making?').

How can a noun clause function as the object of a sentence?

A noun clause can serve as the object by receiving the action of the main verb. For example, in 'The woman wanted to know who the new manager was,' the noun clause 'who the new manager was' is the object.

What is a subject complement, and how does a noun clause function as one?

A subject complement provides more information about the subject, usually after a linking verb. For example, in 'The restaurant isn't what I would call expensive,' the noun clause 'what I would call expensive' is the subject complement.

How can a noun clause act as the object of a preposition?

A noun clause can follow a preposition and act as its object. For example, 'He was responsible for what he had done,' where 'what he had done' is the object of the preposition 'for.'

Can the conjunction in a noun clause act as the subject?

Yes. Conjunctions like what, who, whichever, or whatever can function as the subject of a noun clause. For example, in 'What worries me is the price,' 'what' is the subject of the noun clause.

Is it possible for a sentence to have more than one noun clause?

Yes. A sentence can have one noun clause as the subject and another as the object. For example, 'That it looks like rain is what worries me,' where 'That it looks like rain' is the subject noun clause and 'what worries me' is the object noun clause.

What is an adjective complement, and how does a noun clause function in this role?

An adjective complement gives more information about an adjective. For example, in 'He was satisfied that the advertisement had worked so well,' the noun clause 'that the advertisement had worked so well' explains why he was satisfied.