Noun Clause is a dependent clause which functions as a noun. It can be a subject, an object, or subject complement.

1. Angkor Khemara University
មហាវិទ្យាល័យវិទ្យាសាស្រ្តអប់រំ
ឯកទទ្យ្ ភាសាអង់ទលេ្
Academic Writing I
Noun Clauses
Lecturer Voeng Sokkhan
និ្សិត សាាំង ទៅរកា
Academic year: 2016

2. A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions as a noun. It can be
a subject, object, or subject complement. However, you will study the noun
clause only as it is used as an object.
1.Consider the following examples
Sentences Noun Clauses
1. The world is round.
2. Does she need help?
3. Who lives there?
4. What happens?
5. Who is at the doctor?
a. that the world is round
b. if she need help
c. who lives there
d. what happens
e. who is at the doctor

3. 2. Form, list of subordinators of noun clauses
a. Forms of noun clauses
Examples:
 that science courses require a laboratory period
 where the student union is
 whether our projects are due next week
 if lunch is being served
 Note: One kind of noun clause has a slightly different pattern. In an included WH-
question clause when the subordinator and the subject are the same word, the pattern is:
Examples:
 who made the error
 what happened at the US/USSR summit

4. b. List of subordinators which introduce noun clauses
3. Consider the noun clauses as object
Because a noun clause is dependent, it must be connected to an independent clause to form a
complex sentence. A noun clause used as an object is preceded by an independent clause called
an introductory clause. The noun clause is the object of the introductory clause verb.
INTRODUCTORY CLAUSE DEPENDENT NOUN CLAUSE
Subject Verb Object
I know that people have different opinion about capital punishment.
Subordinators
Included Statement that
Included Wh-question
who, whoever, whom, whomever, whose,
what, whatever, which, whichever, where,
wherever, when, whenever, why, how,
however
how much/many /long /often…etc
Included Yes/No
question
whether(or not)/ if

5. II. Types of noun clauses
There are 3 types of dependent noun clauses:
 That-clauses are made from statements.
 WH-question clauses are made from WH-questions.
 Yes/No question clauses are made from yes/no questions.
1. That-clauses
A. Definition
That-clauses are dependent noun clauses often introduced by the subordinator
(that). Since subordinator (that) has no grammatical function, it may be omitted.
B. Form: that-clause is composed of
C. Examples:
 (that) the study of the brain is fascinating
 (that) the brain is the master control for both mind and body
 (that) it controls sentences, moods, though, and actions

6. D. List of some introductory clause verbs that are used to introduce that clause
Group I: (do not take an indirect object in an introductory clause)
........agree
.......answer
.......conclude
.......notice
.......realize
......think
Examples:
 The president concluded that he would veto the bill.
 The students answer that they have done homework already.
 The Cambodians noticed that the traffic accident in Cambodia has been increasing
this year.
 Some people realize that ASEAN integration in 2015 in Cambodia is not possible.
 The prime minister agreed that traffic accident in Cambodia has already been
increasing.

7. Group II: (may or may not take an indirect object. However, if an
indirect object follows one of these verbs, (to) must precede it)
..........admit (to + indirect object)
..........explain (to + indirect object)
.........mention (to + indirect object)
........point out (to + indirect object)
........reply (to + indirect object)
Examples:
 The president explains (to the nation) that the country faced a deficit.
 He mentioned (to the press) that he might raise taxes.
 They admitted (to the teacher) that they had made a mistake.
 She pointed out (to the danger) that they might be left behind.
 The teachers in Pursat Seconday School replied (to the school
director) that they were not happy about the job of invigilator.

8. Group III: (must be followed by an indirect object)
............assure
...........convince
...........inform
..........notify
..........remind
.........tell
Examples:
 The government told the public that the state faced a serious water
shortage.
 He informed the press that water rationing was necessary.
 She assured him that the car would be ready the next day.
 It’s useless trying to convince her that she doesn’t need to lose any weigh.
 We noticed the police that the bicycle had been stolen.
 I range Jill and remind her that the conference had been canceled.

9. Group IV: (may or may not take an indirect object)
..........promise
.........show
........teach
.........warn
........write (to)
Examples:
 The mayor promised (city employees) that they wouldn’t lose their
jobs.
 He warned (them), however, that there would be raises.
 The government has promised (people) that they will reduce taxes.
 The diaries show (us) that he was very insecure.

10. 2. WH-question clauses
A. Definition
WH-question clause is a dependent noun clause formed from a direct WH-question
that is first changed into a statement and then joined to an introductory clause to form
a complex sentence.
A. Form
A WH-question clause can follow two patterns, the subject pattern or the object pattern.
a) Subject Pattern: the subject pattern the Wh-question word is the subject of its
own clause and the direct wh-word become a dependent noun clause without any
change in word order.
Examples:
 ..........who started the space race
 ..........what happened in 1965
 ..........how many astronauts have walked on the moon
 ..........which achievement was the most significant
 ..........how much money was spent to put a man on the moon
 In the following table, these questions have been transformed into dependent
noun clauses. Notice that there is no change in word order.

11. Wh-question clause word order-subject pattern
b. Object Pattern
In the object pattern the Wh-word is only a subordinator, it is not the subject.
In the object pattern, the word order changes when you transform a direct wh-
question into a wh-question clause. This pattern occurs when the wh-word is
not the subject of the noun clause, and when you have questions containing
the verb to be plus a subject complement.
Wh-question clause
Introductory Clause Wh-question word Verb Complement
1. Do you know
2. Can you tell us
3. Does he remember
4. The professor asked us
5. Some people complain about
who
what
how many astronauts
which achievement
how much money
started
happened
have walked
was
was spent
the space race?
in 1965?
on the moon?
the most significant.
to put a man on the moon

12. Study the following direct wh-questions.
 Who are the hijackers? (with to be and a subject complement)
 How can we end airplane hijackers? (with modal verb)
 Where have they taken the hostages? (with auxiliaries has/have/had)
 What do the hijackers want? (with the auxiliaries do/does/did)
 Notice what happens to the word order when you transform wh-questions
into wh-question clauses.
Wh-Question Clauses Word Order_Object Pattern
 Notice: In the object pattern, wh-question clauses use the statement
word order, and the auxiliary do/does/did are deleted.
Included Wh-Question Clause
Introductory Clause Wh-word Subject Verb Complement
1. No one knows
2. It’s difficult to determine
3. The police won’t reveal
4. The government wouldn’t say
who
how
where
what
the hijackers
we
they
the hijackers
are
can end
have
taken
wanted
airplane hijackers the
hostages.

13. 3. Yes/No Question Clauses
A. Definition
Yes/No question clauses are dependent noun clauses that are formed yes/no question. A
yes/no question is changed into a statement by adding the subordinator whether,
whether or not, or if.
B. Form: Yes/No question is formed by
C. Examples:
............+ if+ subject+ verb+ complement
............+ whether (or not) +subject+ verb+ complement
............+whether+ subject+ verb+ complement......or not
Direct Yes/NO Questions Yes/No Question Clauses
1. Do final examinations begin next
month?
2. Will the university accept late
registration?
1. Was the notice posted on the bulletin
board?
1. Has the quiz been postponed?
...if the final examinations begin next month
...whether (or not) the university will accept
late registration
...whether or not the notice was posted on the
bulletin board
...whether the quiz has been postponed

14. D. Yes/No Question Clauses Word Order
E. Rule of Yes/No question clause
1. Changing the word order to statement form
2. Deleting the auxiliary do/does/did
3. Adding if, whether (or not) or whether.....or not.
 Whether is formal, if is informal. Whether and if may both occur alone.
 I don’t know whether or not he is coming. (if or not is not possible)
 I don’t know if he is coming.
Whether or not may be written together at the beginning of the clauses or may be
separated.
 I don’t know whether or not he is coming.
 I don’t know whether he is coming or not.
Yes/No Question Clauses
Introductory Clauses Subordinator Subject+ Verb+ Complement
1. Do you know
2. We would like to inquire
3. The professor didn’t
know
4. Ask the teacher
if
whether (or not)
if
whether
final examinations begin next month?
the university will accept late registration
the notice had been posted on the bulletin
the exam has been postponed.

15. IV. Subjunctive Noun Clauses
1. Meaning
The verb in a dependent that-clause is in the simple form after certain introductory clause
verbs indicating urgency, advisability, and desirability:
2. Some verbs used as subjective noun clauses
advise, demand, move, recommend, ask, direct, propose, suggest, command, insist, urge
3. Examples of using subjunctive noun clauses
 The company president demanded that the sales department increase its sale volume.
 He has insisted that their foreign competitors be pushed out of the domestic.
 He direct that sales force not be increased at his this time.
 Note: The verbs in the that noun clause following the verbs suggest and recommend can be used
with the modal should.
 Did the president suggest that the sales manager (should) increase sale?
 The count recommended that the sales figures (should) be reduced to reflect merchandised
returned.
4. Adjective used as subjunctive noun clause
advisable, necessary, important, essential, urgent, vital
Examples:
 It is essential that this country export more of its products.
 It is vital that our country’s imports not exceed its exports.

16. V. Noun Clause as Subject
1. Meaning of Noun Clauses as subjects
Every clause, whether independent or dependent, by definition has its own
subject-verb combination. Sometimes common nouns function as subjects;
sometimes proper nouns, pronoun, gerund, or infinitive function as subjects. In
fact, sometimes even a noun clause functions as a subject. Examine carefully
the examples that follow to see how noun clauses may function as subjects.
2. Examples of Noun Clauses as Subjects
Here are three examples of noun clauses as subjects
 How you learn matters significantly.
 What he said is this
 That you had forgotten worried us.
 Where is the noun clause in each of these sentences?
 What verb does each noun clause combine with to form a subject-verb
combination?
 What is the subject-verb combination of each noun clause?

17. 3. Analyzing Noun Clauses as Subjects
Example Sentence
a. How you learn matters significantly
The noun clause in this example, “How you learn,” combines with the verb
“matters” to form a subject-verb combination. So the noun clause here functions as
a subject. The subject-verb combination of the noun is “you learn.” Its
subordinators is “How”
b. What he said is this.
The noun clause in this example, “What he said” combines with the verb “is” to
form a subject-verb combination. So the noun clause here functions as a subject.
The subject-verb combination of the noun clause is “he said” Its subordinator is
“What”
c. That you had forgotten worried us greatly.
The noun clause in this example, “That you had forgotten.” combines with the verb
“worried” to form a subject-verb combination. So, the noun clause here also
functions as a subject. The subject-verb combination of the noun clause is “you
had forgotten.” its subordinator is “That”
d. Thomas made her angry.
“Thomas” is a proper noun, functioning as the subject of this sentence.
That he had even asked her made her angry.
The noun clause “that he had even asked her” is the subject of this sentence.