METU/SFL
Dept. of B.E.
Grammar Handout
January 2017
REPEAT GROUP
NOUN CLAUSES
Below is an e-mail excerpt from the manager of Aurora, an advertising company. Read the e-mail
and answer the following questions.
At Aurora, managers welcome the views of staff on a wide
range of company matters. That we have listened carefully
to our employees over many years has helped us to maintain
our position as the market leader. For this reason, we would
now like to find out if staff think that Aurora has changed in
the last few years. We need to know what staff used to think
about the company and their jobs, and how they feel now.
An external organisation, Star Consulting, will do the
research, including interviews with a number of employees.
When the research will be done has not yet been decided. All
staff who have worked for the company for more than five
years can take part. The discussions will be …
1. What has helped the Aurora managers to maintain their position as the market leader?
_______________________________________________________________________
2. What do the Aurora managers want to find out?
_______________________________________________________________________
3. What do the Aurora managers need to know?
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Do the Aurora staff know the time of the research? Why not?
_______________________________________________________________________
In your answers to the questions above you have used Noun Clauses. Noun clauses are dependent
clauses that perform the same functions that regular nouns do. They can be the subject or object of a
sentence.
e.g. When the research will be done has not yet been decided. (Noun clause as the subject)
e.g. We need to know what staff used to think about the company and their jobs, and how
they feel now. (Noun clause as the object)
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Noun clauses are often introduced by a question word such as what, who, whom, where, how and why.
Sometimes a yes/no question is changed into a noun clause. Then the noun clause is introduced by if or
whether (or not). If and whether (or not) are similar in meaning and can be used interchangeably.
However when a noun clause is used as the subject of the sentence, use only whether (or not).
e.g. We would now like to find out if / whether staff think that Aurora has changed in the last
few years.
e.g. Whether staff think that Aurora has changed in the last few years is one of our concerns. (If
cannot be used here.)
Noun clauses are also introduced by the word that. When that introduces a noun clause, it simply marks
the beginning of the clause and is frequently omitted. However when it introduces a noun clause used as
the subject of the sentence, then it is not omitted.
e.g. We believe (that) listening carefully to our employees over many years has helped us to
maintain our position as the market leader.
e.g. That we have listened carefully to our employees over many years has helped us to
maintain our position as the market leader. (That cannot be omitted.)
PART I
NOUN CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH A QUESTION WORD
In (a): where she lives is the object of the
verb know.
In a noun clause, the subject precedes the
verb. Do not use question word order in
a noun clause. Notice: does, did, and do
are used in questions, but not in noun
clauses.
QUESTION
NOUN CLAUSE
Where does she live?
What did he say?
When do they arrive?
(a) I don't know where she lives.
(b) I couldn't hear what he said.
(c) Do you know when they
arrive?
Who lives there?
What happened?
Who is at the door?
(d) I don't know who lives there. In (d): The word order is the same in both
(e) Please tell me what happened. the question and the noun clause because
who is the subject in both.
(f) I wonder who is at the door.
Who is she?
Who are those men?
Whose house is that?
(g) I don't know who she is.
(h) I don't know who those men
are.
(i) I wonder whose house that is.
(j) What she said surprised me.
(k) What they should do is
obvious.
What did she say?
What should they do?
In (g): she is the subject of the question,
so it is placed in front of the verb be in
the noun clause.
In (j): What she said is the subject of the
sentence. Notice in (k): A noun clause
subject takes a singular verb (e.g., is).
EXERCISE 1. Change the question in parentheses to a noun clause.
e.g. (How old is he?) I don’t know how old he is.
(What was he talking about?) What he was talking about was interesting.
1.
(What did she say?) __________________________________________________________wasn't true.
2.
(How much does it cost?) I can't remember __________________________________________________
3.
(Which one does he want?) Let's ask him____________________________________________________
4.
(Who is coming to the party?) I don't know__________________________________________________
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5.
(Whose pen is this?) Do you know________________________________________________________
6.
(Why did they leave the country?) _______________________________________________ is a secret.
7.
(Where did she go?) __________________________________________ is none of your business.
8.
(How many letters are there in the English alphabet?) I don't remember ___________________________
9.
(What happened?) I don't know ____________________________________________________________
10. (Who opened the door?) I don't know________________________________________________________
EXERCISE 2. Make a question from the given sentence. The words in parentheses should be the
answer to the question you make. Use a question word (who, what, how, etc.). Then change the
question to a noun clause.
e.g. Tom will be here (next week).
QUESTION:
When will Tom be here?
NOUN CLAUSE:
Please tell me when Tom will be here.
1. He is coming (because he wants to visit his friends).
QUESTION: ______________________________________________________________
NOUN CLAUSE:
Please tell me _______________________________________________
2. (Jim Hunter) is going to meet him at the airport.
QUESTION: ______________________________________________________________
NOUN CLAUSE:
Please tell me _______________________________________________
3. Jim Hunter is (his roommate).
QUESTION: ______________________________________________________________
NOUN CLAUSE:
Please tell me _______________________________________________
4. He has been working for IBM (since 1998).
QUESTION:
_____________________________________________________________
NOUN CLAUSE: Do
you know _______________________________________________
EXERCISE 3. Use the words in parentheses to complete the sentences. Use any appropriate verb
tense. Some of the completions contain noun clauses, and some contain questions.
1.
2.
3.
A:
B:
A:
B:
A:
B:
4.
A:
B:
5.
A:
B:
Where (Ruth, go)__________________ ? She's not in her room.
I don't know. Ask her friend Tina. She might know where (Ruth, go)____________________.
Oops! I made a mistake. Where (my eraser, be) __________________? Didn't I lend it to you?
I don't have it. Ask Sally where (it, be) __________________. I think I saw her using it.
The door isn't locked! Why (Fred, lock, not)______________________________ it before he
left?
Why ask me? How am I supposed to know why (he, lock, not) _____________________it?
Maybe he just forgot.
Mr. Lee is a recent immigrant, isn't he? How long (he, be) ____________________in this
country?
I have no idea, but I'll be seeing Mr. Lee this afternoon. Would you like me to ask him how
long (he, live) __________________ here?
Are you a student here? I'm a student here, too. Tell me what classes (you, take)____________
this term. Maybe we're in some of the same classes.
Math 4, English 2, History 6, and Chemistry 101. What classes (you, take)_______________?
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PART II
NOUN CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH WHETHER OR IF
YES/NO QUESTION
NOUN CLAUSE
Will she come?
(a)
Does he need
help?
(b)
I don't know whether she will come.
I don't know if she will come.
I wonder whether he needs help.
I wonder if he needs help.
I wonder whether or not she will
come.
(d) I wonder whether she will come or
not.
(e) I wonder if she will come or not.
(f) Whether she comes or not is
unimportant to me.
(c)
When a yes/no question is changed to a
noun clause, whether or if is used to
introduce the clause. (Note: Whether is
more acceptable in formal English, but
if is quite commonly used, especially in
speaking.)
In (c), (d), and (e): Notice the patterns
when or not is used.
In (f): Notice that the noun clause is in
the subject position.
EXERCISE 4. Work in pairs, in groups, or as a class. Begin all responses with "I wonder . . . ."
Examples:
SPEAKER A
: Does (...) need any help?
SPEAKER B
: I wonder whether/if (...) needs any help.
SPEAKER A
: Where is ( . . . )?
SPEAKER B
: I wonder where ( . . . ) is.
1.
Where is your friend?
9. Why is the sky blue?
2.
Should we wait for him?
10. How long does a butterfly live?
3.
Should you call him?
11. What causes earthquakes?
4.
Where is your dictionary?
12. When was the first book written?
5.
Who took your dictionary?
13. Who is that man?
6.
Did (...) borrow your dictionary?
14. What is he doing?
7.
Who is that woman?
15. Is he having trouble?
8.
Does she need any help?
16. Should you offer to help him?
EXERCISE 5. Work in pairs, in groups, or as a class. Begin all responses with "Could you please
tell me . . . ."
1. Does this bus go downtown?
2. How much does this book cost?
3. Is this word spelled correctly?
4. What time is it?
5. Is this information correct?
EXERCISE 6. Correct the errors.
1. Please tell me what is your name. Please tell me what your name is.
2. No one seems to know when will Maria arrive.
3. I wonder why was Bob late for class.
4. I don't know what does that word mean.
5. I wonder does the teacher know the answer?
6. I don't understand why is the car not running properly.
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PART III
NOUN CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH THAT
STATEMENT
NOUN CLAUSE
(a) I think that he is a good actor.
He is a good actor.
(b) I think he is a good actor.
The world is round.
(c) We know (that) the world is
round.
(d) That she doesn't understand
spoken English is obvious.
She doesn't understand
spoken English.
(e) It is obvious (that) she doesn't
The world is round.
(f) That the world is round is a fact.
understand spoken English.
In (a): that he is a good actor is a
noun clause. It is used as the object
of the verb think.
The word that, when it introduces a
noun clause, has no meaning in
itself. It simply marks the beginning
of the clause. Frequently it is
omitted, as in (b), especially in
speaking. (If used in speaking, it is
unstressed.)
In (d): The noun clause (That she
doesn't
understand
spoken
English) is the subject of the
sentence. The word that is not
omitted when it introduces a noun
clause used as the subject of a
sentence, as in (d) and (f).
(g) It is a fact that the world is round. More commonly, the word it
functions as the subject and the
noun clause is placed at the end of
the sentence, as in (e) and (g).
EXERCISE 7. Work in pairs, in groups, or as a class.
Speaker A: Change the given sentence into a noun clause. Use it + any appropriate expression from the
list.
Speaker B: Give the equivalent sentence by using a that-clause as the subject.
Example: The world is round.
SPEAKER A
: It is a fact that the world is round.
SPEAKER B
: That the world is round is a fact.
a fact
obvious
surprising
unfair
a shame
a well-known fact
apparent
strange
too bad
a pity
true
clear
unfortunate
1. Drug abuse can ruin one's health.
2. Some women do not earn equal pay for equal work.
3. The earth revolves around the sun.
4. Irene, who is an excellent student, failed her entrance examination.
5. Smoking can cause cancer.
6. English is the principal language of the business community throughout much of the world.
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PART IV
QUESTION WORDS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVES
a) I don’t know what I should do.
I don’t know what to do.
b) Pam can’t decide whether she should
go or stay home.
Pam can’t decide whether to go or (to)
stay home
c) Please tell me how I can get to the bus
station.
Please tell me how to get to the bus
station.
d) Jim told us where we could find it.
Jim told us where to find it.
Question words (when, where, how, who,
whom, whose, what, which) and whether
may be followed by an infinitive.
Each pair of sentences in the examples has the
same meaning. Notice that the meaning
expressed by the infinitive is either should or
can/could.
EXERCISE 8. Make sentences with the same meaning by using infinitives.
e.g. He told me when I should come. He told me when to come.
1. The plumber told me how I could fix the leak in the sink.
2. Please tell me where I should meet you.
3. Don had an elaborate excuse for being late for their date, but Sandy didn’t know whether she
should believe him or not.
4. Jim found two shirts he liked, but he had trouble deciding which one he should buy.
5. I have done everything I can think of to help Andy get his life straightened out. I don’t know
what else I can do.
6. I was tongue-tied. I didn’t know what I could say.
7. I can’t decide what I should wear to the reception.
PART V
USING EVER WORDS
The following -ever words give the idea of “any”. Each pair of sentences in the examples has the
same meaning.
whoever
who(m)ever
whatever
whichever
whenever
wherever
however
a) Whoever wants to come is welcome.
Anyone who wants to come is welcome.
b) He makes friends easily with who(m)ever he meets.
He makes friends easily with anyone who(m) he meets.
c) He always says whatever comes to his mind.
He always says anything that comes to his mind.
d) There are four good programs on TV at eight o’clock. We can watch
whichever
program you prefer.
We can watch any of the four programs that you prefer.
e) You may leave whenever you wish.
You may leave at any time that you wish.
f) She can go wherever she wants to go.
She can go anyplace that she wants to go.
g) The students may dress however they please.
The students may dress in any way that they please.
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Exercise 9. Complete the following sentences by using –ever words.
1. Jason is free to go anyplace he wishes. He can go ________________ he wants.
2. Jason is free to go anytime he wishes. He can go ______________ he wants.
3. I don’t know what you should do about that problem. Do ________________ seems best to
you.
4. There are five flights to Chicago every day. I don’t care which one we take. We can take
________________ one fits in best with your schedule.
5. I want you to be honest. I hope you feel free to say ________________ is on your mind.
6. ________________ leads a life full of love and happiness is rich.
7. No one can tell him what to do. He does ______________ he wants.
8. If you want to rearrange the furniture, go ahead. You can rearrange it __________________
you want. I don’t care one way or the other.
9. Those children are wild. I feel sorry for _________________ has to be their babysitter.
10. I have a car. I can take you _______________ you want to go.
11. To Ellen, the end justifies the means. She will do ________________ she has to do in order to
accomplish her objective.
12. I have four ties. Take ______________ one that matches your suit.
PRACTICE
I. Complete the missing parts from 1 to 4 with the suitable noun clauses, using the information
below. The sentences are in the correct order.
The wikileaks.org domain name was registered on 4 October 2006 by the organization. However,
nobody knows (1)________________________________________________. The website published
its first document in December 2006. The creators of WikiLeaks have not been formally identified,
either. It has been represented in public since January 2007 by Julian Assange and his assistants. Still,
people can’t be sure (2)____________________________________________________. According to
Wired magazine, a volunteer said that Assange described himself in a private conversation as “its
founder, philosopher, spokesperson, organizer, financier, and all the rest.” Is this possible? Can one
person
be
all
of
these?
Naturally
everyone
wonders
(3)_________________________
________________________________________. Unfortunately, it is definitely impossible to find out
the names and the locations of each member of the team. The only certain thing is (4)_____________
______________________________________________________.
1. When did the founders decide to set up the organization?
2. Are these people really the founders?
3. Who is the heart and soul of this organization?
4. It is an international team with members from the US to Taiwan, from Europe to Australia.
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II. Some parts in the text below are missing. Complete the missing parts by joining and rewriting
the following sentences (b-f) using NOUN CLAUSES. The sentences are in the CORRECT
ORDER. Be sure to write the answer out in full.
HOW TO BE HAPPY
Happiness is hard to define. E.g. (1) There are several reasons why people feel happy. For some people
it's about being in love or the birth of a child; for others, it’s winning the lottery or being in touch with
nature. In scientific terms, happiness has different dimensions. Positive psychology expert Sheila
Panchal explains: “Psychologists have identified three elements to happiness: having pleasures in life,
being engaged in using your strengths on a regular basis, and experiencing a sense of meaning by
feeling part of something greater than yourself.” Over the years, a lot of research has been done on
happiness. Still (2)__________________________________________________________________
if we want a definition of it.
(3)_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________. When exposed to the flu virus, they are more able to resist it ― and they
recover from surgery faster. Happy people also tend to live longer. That's the conclusion from an
analysis of the attitudes of new nuns entering an American convent in 1932. Psychologists rated each of
them for the level of positive feeling expressed and they found a correlation with how long each nun
lived.
Today, (4)________________________________________________________________________
__________________. One group of genes that may be involved in positive mood and happiness are
those dealing with the brain chemical serotonin. Low levels of serotonin are linked to depression. Drugs
like Prozac boost serotonin levels, which helps to eliminate depression and improve mood.
(5)______________________________________________________________________________.
You can still learn to be happier. To do this, changing your outlook and attitude towards events and life
could be a good start.
Psychology experts doing research on happiness believe that relationships are one of the principal
sources of our happiness. (6) _________________________________________________________
________________________________. The results suggest that both men and women become happier
when they marry. Happiness increases as the marriage approaches, reaches a peak in the first year and
then decreases a little as people get used to their new status. However, it still remains at a higher level
than in the single state. Children, as you might expect, are a source of joy when they are born, but within
two years, it seems that their parents’ happiness reverts, or returns, to its former level.
a) Why do people feel happy? There are several reasons for this.
b) What is happiness? We need to know more about it.
c) Happy people have stronger immune systems. This is one of the most striking findings about
happiness.
d) There is a strong link between genes and human psychology. This is a well-known fact.
e) Are you born miserable? This does not make any difference.
f) How does marriage affect happiness? Socioeconomic surveys in Germany reveal this.
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