SDM'S Grammar Handnotes: NOUN CLAUSE

1.

2.

*Examples of Noun clause, subject of the verb:

1. What the teacher teaches is easy to understand.

2. What the teacher taught was easy to understand.

3. When the teacher will come is unknown.

4. Where she lives is known to me.

5. Why he was punished is not known to us.

6. How the thief escaped surprised all.

7. Who has done this is a mystery.

8. Which pen he bought is not known to me.

9. Whether it may rain or not is known to none.

10. That she would top the test was not expected.

*Examples of Noun clause, object of the verb:

1. I can understand what the teacher teaches. 

2.  I could not understand what the teacher taught.

3. We know when the teacher will come.

4. We do not know where she lives.

5. Who can say why he was punished?

6. Does anyone know how the thief escaped?

7. I can't say who has done this.

8. I have seen which pen he bought.

9. None can predict whether it may rain or not.

10. No one had expected that she would top the test.

*Examples of Noun clause, object of the preposition: Such type of clause starts next to a preposition (at, on, of, about, in, from, by, with, upon etc.) acting as its object i. e answers the question "What" asked to the Preposition.

1.  There is much sense in what the teacher teaches. 

2. There was much use in whatever the teacher taught.
3. Please listen to what the teacher teaches.

4. Your future depends on what you do at present.

5. Your life depends upon how you shape this.

6. I am not interested in whatever he offers.

7. Stay away from what is harmful to you.

8. My uncle told me about what problems he faced in life.

9. Can you explain me more of what you experienced during trekking?

10. Look at how he performs the tricks.

11. We must abide by what the teacher advises.

12. I don't comply with what is exaggerated about Gandhiji.

4.

5.

 [3/8, 7:38 PM] Mom Manish 7: 1. He told that he could succeed.

2. He, who works hard, succeeds

3. As he worked hard, he succeeded

[3/8, 7:42 PM] Mom Manish 7: 1. He told this. (Pronoun) objec

that he could succeed.- object, in the place of a noun, so a noun claus

[3/8, 7:48 PM] Mom Manish 7: 2. A hard working person, succeeds

Which one succeeds

[3/8, 7:55 PM] Mom Manish 7: 3. Due to/Because of working hard, he succeeded

Why did he succeed?

?.?.et..succeed?

A noun clause does the function of a noun/pronoun or a noun phrase.

It answers the question "what" asked to the main clause (verb)

(It/This) is understood in place of a noun clause.

Type 1. Noun clause, subject of the verb

Structure of the Sentence: Noun clause + verb and the rest of the main clause

Examples: 1. What the teacher taught/ was very simple.

What was easy?

It/This was easy.

What the teacher taught

Main clause: It/This was easy.

Dependent Noun clause: what the teacher taught

Example 2. When the class will be over is known to us.

What is known to us?

It/this is known to us.

When the class will be over.

Main clause : It/this is known to us.

Dependent clause : When the class will be over.    

Example 3. Where the match will be held will be informed to you.

Where the match will be held : subordinate noun clause, subject of the verb phrase , will be informed 

(This ) will be informed to you: Main clause

Example 4. Why he left the class is a mystery.

What is a mystery?

It/This is a mystery.

Why he left the class. 

Main clause: (This ) is a mystery

Dependent noun clause: why he left the class, subject of the verb, 'is' in the main clause

Example 5. How he passed is doubtful.

Ex 5> What is doubtful? 

It/This is doubtful

How he passed? 

M. C. = It/This is doubtful. 

D. N. C. = How he passed....(subject of verb, 'is' in the main clause

Example 6. Whether there will be online or offline classes is yet to be known.

What is yet to be known?

It/this is yet to be known...

Whether there will be online or offline classes...

Main clause : (This) is yet to be known...

Dependent noun clause: Whether there will be online or offline class..., subject of the verb,,'is' in the main clause.....

Type 2. Object of the verb

Structure of the Sentence: Main clause ends with a transitive verb + Noun clause.

Transitive/Intransitive verbs:

He runs fast. 

He runs what?

No answer. So 'runs' is an intransitive verb.

He runs a business.

He runs what? a business

Runs has an object

So, it is a transitive verbExample 3.

Mother asked me who teaches us English in school.Mother asked me what?

This ( who teaches us English in school).

Main clause : Mother asked me (this

Dependent Noun clause : who teaches us English in school

Object of the transitive verb: asked in the main clause.)  

Teacher wants to know who is absent today.

Teacher wants to know what?

(This) who is absent today. Object of the infinitive'to know'

Main clause= teacher wants to know (this)

Dependent Noun clause object of the infinitive 'to know' in the main clause = who is absent today.

Type 4

Object of the preposition

Structure of the Sentence: 

Main clause ends with a preposition + Noun clause.

Example 1

Please listen to what I am telling.Please listen to what I am telling.

Please listen to what?

This (what I am telling).

Main clause : please listen to ( this ) ...

Dependent noun clause, object of the preposition 'to' in the main clause : what i am telling...

Example 2

Life depends on how you make it.

Example 3

There much meaning in what mother says.

Type 5: object of the gerund

Main clause is up to the gerund (verb+ing) + noun clause

Example 1. Explaining, what's written in the Gita, is difficult.

Explaining what is difficult?

This or it (what's written in the Gita)

Main clause : Explaining (this ) is difficult.

Dependent noun clause, object of the gerund 'explaining ' in the main clause.

Example 2. Practising, what's preached, is not easy.

Practising what is not easy?

This ( what's preached ) 

Main clause : Practising ( this ) is not easy.

Dependent noun clause, what's preached, object of the gerund 'practising ' in the main clause

Type 6: Object of gerund

present participle

Structure : Main clause with Present participle + noun clause + rest of the main clause

Example : Explaining, the Gita, he has become famous.

Explaining, what is explained in the Gita, he has become famous.

Explaining what he has become famous?

(This /It) what is explained in the Gita

Main clause : Explaining, this he has become famous.

Dependent noun clause, what is explained in the Gita, object of the Present participle 'Explaining ' in the main clause

Type 7

Noun clause, complement of the verb

Structure: Main clause+ Noun clause after the verbs "is, am, are, was, were, shall be, will be,seem, appear etc

Examples of complement

1. This is Money.

2. Money is this.

Complement 1 Money,2 this

Example 

Money is what money does

Main clause: Money is (this)

Noun clause, complement of the verb 'is' in the main clause...

Example 2

It seems that he is innocent.

What it seems?

It seems (this)

He is innocent. 

Main clause = it seems (this)

Noun clause, that he is innocent, is the complement of the verb ' is ', he is honest.

Example 3

It appeared that it might rain.

Answer. What appeared? 

It appeared(this)

that it might rain

Main clause: It appeared(this).

Noun Clause, that it might rain, is the complement of the verb 'appeared' in the main clause.

Example 4

Life is how we make it.

Answer. Life is what? 

(This) How we make it

Main Clause: Life is(this))

Noun clause, How we make it, is the complement of the verb 'is' in the main clause.

8. A. Structure of 'in apposition to a noun'

Main clause starts with a noun phrase + Noun clause + the rest of the main clause.

Example: 1

The news that India won the match delighted us.

What news delighted us?

This news: that India won the match

Main clause, the news delighted us.

Noun clause, that India won the match, in apposition to the Noun 'news' in the main clause.

8. B Structure of 'in apposition to a pronoun'

Main clause starts with a pronoun and ends with a noun or adjective + Noun clause

Example 1

It is a fact/true that man is mortal.

What is a fact/true?

This (that man is mortal.)

Main clause: It is a fact/true

Noun clause: that man is mortal, in apposition to a pronoun 'it' in the main clause

Copyright Shanka D Mishra