What are Noun Clauses?
A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions as a noun in a sentence. It can serve as a subject, object, or complement, allowing writers to embed complete thoughts or questions within larger sentences. Examples include 'What I want', 'That she is late', and 'Whether you go or not'.
A noun clause is a subordinate clause that performs the grammatical role of a noun — it can be a subject, direct object, or object of a preposition. Example: 'That he lied became clear' (noun clause as subject).
- 1↓Position 1: Subject'What you think is important.' (noun clause = subject of 'is')
- 2↓Position 2: Direct Object'I know that he is here.' (noun clause = object of verb 'know')
- 3↓Position 3: Object of Preposition'She is happy about what you did.' (noun clause = object of 'about')
- 4Position 4: Subject Complement'The issue is whether we should go.' (noun clause renames subject)
Step-by-step worked examples
Identify the noun clause and its function: 'Whoever finishes first wins a prize.'
Noun clause: 'Whoever finishes first' (a complete thought with subject 'whoever' and verb 'finishes'). Function: SUBJECT of the main verb 'wins'. Proof: Replace with a simple noun: '[The winner] wins a prize.' The noun clause takes the place of a noun.
Identify the noun clause and its function: 'The teacher asked whether the students understood the lesson.'
Noun clause: 'whether the students understood the lesson'. Function: DIRECT OBJECT of the verb 'asked'. Proof: What did the teacher ask? The answer is the noun clause.
Identify the noun clause and its function: 'My hope is that you will succeed.'
Noun clause: 'that you will succeed'. Function: SUBJECT COMPLEMENT (renames/describes 'hope'). Proof: The noun clause renames the subject after the linking verb 'is'.
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.Which sentence contains a noun clause as the subject?
Q2.Identify the noun clause: 'The coach asked whether they were ready.'
Q3.What is the function of the noun clause in: 'The issue is that we lack time.'?
Q4.Which is NOT a noun clause?
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Common mistakes
Confusing noun clauses with relative clauses: 'The student that completed the work' (relative). — Correct: Relative clause modifies a noun. Noun clause acts as a noun itself: 'That he completed the work is good.' (noun clause = subject).
Forgetting noun clauses can be subjects: 'Whoever wants to go should raise their hand.' — Correct: 'Whoever wants to go' is a noun clause acting as the subject of 'should raise'.
Using wrong introductory word: 'She wondered if she could go' vs 'She knew the reason that she could go.' — Correct: Both are correct—'if' and 'that' both introduce noun clauses, depending on context and formality.
Treating noun clauses as simple nouns: '"What is your opinion?" I asked him', missing the structure. — Correct: Noun clauses have subject and verb: 'What you think is important' (subject 'you', verb 'think').
FAQ
What is a noun clause?
A dependent clause functioning as a noun in the sentence. It can be a subject ('What you said was true'), direct object ('I know that he is here'), or complement ('The goal is that everyone succeeds').
What words introduce noun clauses?
'That', 'what', 'who', 'whoever', 'which', 'whether', 'if', 'when', 'where', 'why', 'how' — and sometimes no word at all ('I know he is here').
How do I spot a noun clause?
Find a clause (subject + verb), check if it can be replaced by a simple noun (like 'it' or 'this'). If yes, it's a noun clause: 'I believe that you will win' → 'I believe it' (noun clause = 'that you will win').
Can a noun clause have a noun modifier?
No — noun clauses are clauses (have verbs). But you can have prepositional phrases and adverbs within them: 'What you learned in school' (prepositional phrase 'in school' modifies the action).