Noun Clauses and How To Use Them
Summary
TLDRThis video tutorial delves into the intricacies of noun clauses in English, a common structure that can be tricky for learners. It explains what noun clauses are, their function as a noun within a sentence, and how they can act as subjects or objects. The instructor outlines three types of noun clauses: those beginning with 'that,' 'wh-' words, and 'if' or 'whether.' The video clarifies common mistakes, such as incorrect word order and misuse of question words, and provides examples of correct usage. It also touches on the formal use of 'whether' over 'if' and the correct placement of 'or not.' The aim is to help viewers enhance their English proficiency and avoid typical errors when using noun clauses.
Takeaways
- đ Noun clauses are a type of clause that functions like a noun within a sentence, acting as subjects or objects.
- đ€ Noun clauses can be identified by their structure, which includes a subject and a verb, and often begins with words like 'that', 'whether', 'if', or 'wh-' words.
- đ The word 'that' is commonly used to introduce a noun clause, signaling that what follows is a clause rather than a simple noun.
- đŁïž When speaking, it's common to omit 'that' for more natural speech, but it's often retained in writing for a more formal tone.
- đ Noun clauses that start with 'wh-' words or 'if' are used to ask indirect questions or provide information in a less direct manner.
- â The word order in noun clauses should follow the standard subject-verb order, not the inverted order of direct questions.
- đ Noun clauses are often used after certain verbs (like 'know', 'think', 'hope') and adjectives (like 'surprised', 'glad') that describe a person's feelings or state.
- đĄ The use of 'whether' is more formal than 'if' and can include 'or not' at the end of the clause for emphasis.
- đ Common mistakes with noun clauses include incorrect word order and treating them as direct questions instead of statements.
- đ Practice using noun clauses to enhance English proficiency and avoid errors, which are common even among fluent speakers.
Q & A
What is a noun clause?
-A noun clause is a type of clause that functions like a noun within a sentence, acting as a subject, object, or complement.
How can you identify a noun clause?
-A noun clause can be identified by its structure, which includes a subject and a verb, and often starts with words like 'that', 'whether', 'if', or 'wh-' words (e.g., 'who', 'what', 'where').
What is the difference between a noun clause and an adjective clause?
-While both are types of clauses, a noun clause functions as a noun in a sentence, whereas an adjective clause modifies a noun or pronoun.
Can you use a noun clause as the subject of a sentence?
-Yes, a noun clause can act as the subject of a sentence. For example, 'That she was late to the meeting was surprising' uses a noun clause as the subject.
What are some common verbs that are followed by noun clauses?
-Common verbs that can be followed by noun clauses include 'know', 'believe', 'think', 'hope', 'hear', 'remember', 'understand', and 'expect'.
Is it necessary to use 'that' in all noun clauses?
-While 'that' is often used to introduce a noun clause, it can sometimes be omitted, especially in spoken English, to make the speech sound more natural.
How should the word order be arranged in a noun clause?
-In a noun clause, the word order should follow the typical subject-verb-object order of a declarative sentence, not the question word order.
What is the function of 'wh-' words in noun clauses?
-'Wh-' words in noun clauses introduce the clause and act as question words, providing information or asking an indirect question without using a direct question format.
Can noun clauses be used to ask indirect yes/no questions?
-Yes, noun clauses can be used to ask indirect yes/no questions by starting with 'if' or 'whether', which are used to embed the question into a statement.
What is the difference between using 'if' and 'whether' in noun clauses?
-Both 'if' and 'whether' can introduce noun clauses for yes/no questions, but 'whether' is more formal and can also be used with 'or not', while 'if' is more common in everyday speech.
Outlines
đ Introduction to Noun Clauses
The speaker begins by introducing noun clauses, emphasizing that while they may sound intimidating, they are an essential part of English grammar that many already use in their writing and speaking. Noun clauses function like nouns within a sentence, acting as subjects or objects. The paragraph explains that a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea, and a clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb. Noun clauses are introduced with words like 'that,' 'whether,' or 'if,' and they can replace nouns in sentences. Examples are given to illustrate how noun clauses can act as subjects or objects, and the speaker clarifies the difference between noun clauses and adjective clauses.
đ Exploring Noun Clauses with 'That'
This section delves into noun clauses that start with the word 'that.' The speaker explains that these clauses can act as the subject of a sentence or follow a main verb. Examples are provided to show how 'that' noun clauses can be structured in different positions within a sentence. The speaker also notes that the verb within a noun clause can be in various tenses, depending on the context. Additionally, it's mentioned that the word 'that' can often be omitted in spoken English for fluency, but it's typically retained in written English for a more academic tone.
đ€ Noun Clauses with Wh-Words
The speaker moves on to discuss noun clauses that begin with wh-words or question words, which are used to seek specific information. These clauses are often used when a direct question is too blunt, and phrases like 'I want to know' or 'I wonder' are used to introduce the clause. The paragraph clarifies that despite starting with a question word, noun clauses should follow the subject-verb order of statements, not the verb-subject order of questions. Common mistakes made by learners are highlighted, and correct formations are provided with examples.
â Noun Clauses for Indirect Yes/No Questions
This part of the script focuses on noun clauses used for indirect yes/no questions, which are introduced with 'if' or 'whether.' The speaker points out that these clauses are used when the answer is expected to be a simple yes or no, and they are not seeking additional information. The paragraph explains the correct formation of such clauses, emphasizing that the subject should come before the verb, contrary to the direct question form. The speaker also advises on the appropriate use of 'if' and 'whether,' noting that 'whether' is more formal and can be used with 'or not' at the end of the clause.
đ Conclusion and Encouragement
In the concluding paragraph, the speaker summarizes the three types of noun clauses covered in the video: those starting with 'that,' wh-words, and 'if' or 'whether.' They reiterate the importance of using the correct verb tense and order within noun clauses and provide encouragement for viewers to improve their English by understanding and correctly using noun clauses. The speaker also hints at a future video on noun clauses in reported speech, indicating that there is more to explore on this topic.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄNoun Clause
đĄSubject
đĄVerb
đĄClause
đĄWh-words
đĄThat
đĄIf/Whether
đĄMistakes
đĄAdjectives
đĄQuestion Word Order
Highlights
Noun clauses sound intimidating but are common in speech and writing.
Noun clauses function like nouns in a sentence, often as subjects or objects.
A noun clause typically contains a subject and a verb, starting with a word like 'that' or a WH-word.
'That' noun clauses can act as the subject or follow certain verbs like 'think', 'believe', 'hope'.
It's possible to omit 'that' in spoken English to sound more conversational.
WH-word noun clauses, like 'who' or 'what', are often used when the speaker needs to provide information indirectly.
Be cautious with word order: noun clauses should follow subject-verb structure, not question format.
The most common mistake with noun clauses is using question word order instead of subject-verb structure.
When embedding yes/no questions into noun clauses, use 'if' or 'whether'.
'Whether' is more formal than 'if' and is commonly used in writing.
Itâs possible to add 'or not' with 'whether', but this is not recommended with 'if'.
Noun clauses play a major role in reported speech.
Removing 'that' in spoken English is acceptable and more conversational, but it should be retained in writing.
WH-word noun clauses should not invert subject and verb order, even though they contain question words.
Noun clauses are essential to master for improving English grammar, especially in academic or formal writing.
Transcripts
hi there everyone we're going to talk
about noun clauses in this video
noun clauses are really fun but sound
really scary
they're a type of form that you need to
know how to use and you're probably
already using in your writing and you're
speaking
but if you're new to english
maybe you're making a mistake in them
they're one of the most
common types of mistakes that i see
not noun clause being a mistake but
mistakes with
noun clauses so i'm going to talk to you
about what noun clauses are
and how to avoid the most common
mistakes that i see
in them so if you know what a noun is
and you know what a clause is you might
know what a noun clause is but you might
not
a noun is a person-placed thing or idea
and clause is just a group of words that
has a subject and a verb inside of it
a noun clause is a clause that can be
used
like a noun it can function like a noun
within a sentence
just like a subject or an object inside
of a sentence let me show you
so here's a sentence or a clause i no
josue subject verb
object complete complete sentence it
doesn't have to have an object but it's
a complete sentence okay
this is a noun it's a person a noun as a
person i
know josue so i can replace this noun
with a noun clause so let's look at
these two
sentence endings here i said i know
josue
sorry i said i know
that josue is funny that josue is funny
is the noun clause it starts with the
word
that which is a signal that it's a noun
clause
sometimes they look like adjective
clauses but how do we know it's a noun
clause
because it's coming after a verb and not
a noun okay
but that signals that this is a noun
clause
and it's a clause because it has a
subject and verb inside
josue is that's the subject that's the
verb
i know that josue is funny i know josue
so this is one noun clause it functions
as a noun okay another type of
noun clause could be this one i know
where josue lives where josue lives
is acting like a noun within this
sentence
but it's really a clause within itself
because it starts with the wh word
that's important and i'm going to talk
about that in a second
starts with the wh word and it has a
subject
and a verb inside of it and it functions
as a noun
and the last kind of noun clause we can
make is one like this
i need to know if josue is funny i'm
starting with if or whether i need to
know
if josue is funny so it starts with if
starts with if and then it has a subject
and a verb inside of it acting as a noun
but it's a noun clause
now let me show you how these are made
now first off
there's three types of noun clauses that
we can create the first type
is the ones that start with the word
that
okay that and then afterwards we have a
subject and a verb
now because noun clauses act like nouns
they could be the subject of the
sentence
or they could come after the verb so let
me show you how that would look in both
of these
that post way is funny is
obvious to me here
this whole thing is a noun clause acting
like
the subject of this sentence so i'm just
going to write subject
and then here's the main verb of the
sentence
the the noun clause starts with the word
that
and then it has a subject and a verb
inside itself
okay now that verb could be in the
present it could be in the past it just
depends on
what time frame you want to use maybe
you knew josue
and you're talking about him from high
school and not now
that josue was funny in high school
is obvious now or was obvious then just
depends you could change the verb tense
around
depending on what you're trying to say
now here we can see the noun clauses
being used at the end
after the verb it is obvious to me
that josue is funny here's the subject
here's the verb it's obvious to me
what's obvious to me
that post way is funny here's my noun
clause
starts with that has a subject and a
verb inside of it
so one thing to notice is that we use
the
that noun clauses at the beginning of
sentences
and after verbs or after
you know a sentence ends like if you're
trying to say
um something's obvious something's funny
something's uh scary right
but oftentimes when we're using them at
the end of a sentence
it comes after certain verbs let me tell
you what those verbs are
now this is not all of them but this is
some of the common
verbs that we use with noun clauses
afterwards with the word that
the like i think that josue is funny
i believe that he is not
i heard that he lives in la
i hope that that is true i know
that he works at a college
i read that he was going to become a
professor
i remember that he liked studying
languages i understand
that he may be applying for new jobs
soon
these are all really great verbs that
you can use with
that and a noun clause after them just
so you know it is
also possible to take away the word fact
when you're making a noun clause
especially when you're talking and i
actually recommend that
you take out the word that when you're
talking
and when you're writing keep it in it's
a little bit more academic but
for example i understand
that i need to submit my work on time
i understand i need to submit my work on
time see
i took the word that out that's fine you
can do that it's
great it's common it's useful when
you're speaking it makes you talk
faster now here's a note on using that
that
which is actually grammatical let me
show you imagine somebody says here use
this use this and i said oh yeah yeah
yeah i think
that that will work
i think that that will work
you can take out the first that before
the noun clause
and this that is a pronoun for what
the person was talking about it's the
subject
of the noun clause so i think that that
will work or
i think that will work either way it's
fine of course when you're writing
and you have two facts that looks kind
of weird so you could take it out
when talking you take it out usually
anyway we
also use the that noun clauses after
adjectives that describe people this is
very common okay let's take a look at
these adjectives
notice all of these adjectives describe
a
person's state their feelings
surprised amazed confused
all these words describe how a person
feels okay you have to make sure you're
using adjectives like that if you want
to do this
so you can say i'm surprised that
you want to go running with me
i'm confused that you
thought you had to
[Music]
submit your paper one week after the due
date
i'm glad that we live close to each
other
i'm proud that you have done so well at
learning english
i'm sad that learning languages is just
so hard
all right so again same thing you can
take the word that out and say
i'm sad learning languages is so hard
i'm proud you've learned english so well
i'm glad that we live close to each
other or
i'm glad we live so close to each other
you can take the word that
out okay the next kind of noun clause
that we use are the noun clauses that
start with the
wh or question words
instead of the word that they start with
a wh
question word so these are the wh
question words that we
use when we want to make a noun clause
about some
information or whether we know it or not
or
who or hind how or why let me show you
i want to know janet
janet is a noun we can replace that noun
with a noun clause
let's say we don't know who janet is and
we want to know who she is
i want to know
who janet is
i want to know who janet is who is the
wh word that starts the noun clause
janet's the subject is is the verb i
want to know
who janet is that's my noun clause it's
acting like a verb
so we use these w h question
word noun clauses when we have a
question
usually and we don't want to ask it
directly
like who is janet sometimes it's
too direct to ask a question when will
you have my paper
right instead we can put
that question turn it into a noun clause
but start with something like this like
i want to know or
i wonder or i'm curious
something right like look at this
question sometimes people are afraid to
ask their ques
the sometimes students are afraid to ask
their
teachers direct questions like when will
my paper be done when are you gonna
grade it
when will the teacher grade our papers
right
when will you grade our papers and
instead
they can feel better about not being too
direct
and they can say i wonder or
i want to know here's the question word
when find the subject
the teacher that's what comes next
i wonder when the teacher now we need a
verb
here's the verb will grade
and then finish the sentence
period no question mark this is not a
question
i wonder when the teacher will grade our
papers
that's a sentence with a noun clause in
it
but it acts sort of as a question
too now the biggest mistake i see with
noun clauses is right here
this is a question so
when we have a question we usually have
question word order that means you put
the verb
before the subject but
this is not a question it's a noun
clause
you need to put the subject before the
verb
however a lot of times students will see
a question word they will see a question
word and because they're really good at
studying all these rules
they say oh that means i need to put
subject
verb opposite put the verb before the
subject
and they'll do this and they'll say
i wonder when will the teacher grade
our papers here's where you have
the error okay because this is not a
question
it's a sentence it's a statement with a
noun clause
and because it's a noun clause you need
subject
and then verb subject and then verb so
take that verb and put it
after the subject always i mean it's an
easy fix right
let's look at another example okay here
we go imagine
you want to meet with somebody to do
something
so you say okay when can you meet
when can you meet you could
also say i need to know or
i want to know or i wonder
when question word first
subject you then the verb the rest of
the verb
i need to know when you can meet i need
to know when you can meet
be careful not to say when
can you meet that's not correct when
you can meet here's one that's a little
bit harder where did he go
where did he go all right here's our
question
we want to turn that into a noun clause
i
wonder question word
where now we need the subject
he i wonder where
he what's the verb
did and go now
you do not need to use did
in a noun clause did is only when we're
creating negative
sentences or questions this is
not one of those okay so all you need to
do is
take this verb and put it here but
be careful because you've got to carry
the verb tense with it this
is in the past tense so this needs to be
in the past tense
i wonder where he
went be careful a lot of people would
say
i wonder where did he go
and that's not correct you want to say i
wonder where he
went one more tricky situation
now this whole time i've been telling
you don't put a question mark at the end
of the noun clause even though it has a
question word because it's not a
question it's a statement
well sometimes you can put a question
mark
at the end of a noun clause when the
entire sentence
is a question okay
where did he go and then you start your
sentence like
this with the question this already
is question word order do you know
that already is a question now we can
add our noun clause
do you know where
he went
don't put a period now you've got to put
a question mark because
this is question word
order so just watch out for the
beginning
of a sentence is it a question or is it
a statement
if it's a statement you're going to use
a period
after your noun clause if it's a
question
you're going to use a question mark
after your noun clause now the third
type of noun clause
is used with the words if or whether
and they're used when we want to ask a
yes no question
here we have three yes no questions
are you hungry yes or no can we help
yes or no do you like pie
yes or no as you can see the only answer
you can give for these questions are yes
or no they are not information questions
so
when we want to ask an indirect question
or embed a question into what we're
saying
but it's a yes no question we're going
to use if
or whether so again we're going to start
with i wonder
or i want to know or i need to know
or i don't i want to understand
okay i wonder that we're going to
turn this question into a noun clause
and we're going to start with
one of these words i wonder if
now what's the subject you
i wonder if you what's the verb
are now finish it
i wonder if you're hungry are you hungry
you don't need a question mark here it's
not a question
it's a statement you could make it a
question you could say
can you tell me
that's a question can you tell me
if you are hungry
question mark that's fine okay now let
me tell you something about the word
if and whether if is much more common
especially in speaking also in writing
weather is more formal so if you want to
sound more academic and more formal in
your writing
you could use the word weather instead
of if
so i wonder
i wonder whether you are hungry
now another tip about the word weather
is
we can add or not to it okay
so i can say i wonder whether
or not
you are hungry i wonder whether or not
you are hungry but i could also put that
or not at the end i can say i wonder
whether
you're hungry
or not you put it at the end it doesn't
really make a difference i don't think
but please don't do it with if okay
i wonder if or not you are hungry
i wonder if you are hungry or not this
actually only works when it's at the end
of a sentence
not here but i feel like it's just so
confusing so i always tell my students
if you're using if don't use or not only
use
or not with weather and it isn't
necessary
but it is very common to use or not
when you're using the word weather okay
so let's try this one out
can i turn my essay in late i want to
know
if let's say we're talking if
subject i verb
can turn my essay in late
period not a question i want to know if
i could turn my essay in late
more formal would be i want to know
whether
i can turn my essay in late and to add
to
that you can say i want to know whether
or not i can do my list essay in light
for
i want to know whether i can turn my
essay in late
or not all right last one
did he call i want to know
if or whether he
call or called it's going to be called
because this is dick
i want to know if he called
period now be careful again that common
mistake when noun clauses is also
very common with the if and whether noun
clauses because
students see okay i'm asking a question
so they'll say if
did he call like that
they'll take all of that did he call i
want to know if did he call
and that's not correct because it's not
a question anymore so you do not need
that
helping verb for making questions
instead you just need
the subject and the verb but make sure
the verb is in the correct
tense this is past so
make sure it's passed those are the
three types of noun clauses
that exist there are noun clauses that
are used
very often in reported speech but that
is a whole other video
and topic i hope this video was helpful
for you so you can
up your english game and also avoid some
of the most common noun clause errors
bye-bye
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