Noun Clauses: Types and Examples

What Is a Noun Clause?

A noun clause acts as a noun in a sentence. It follows a connecting or copular verb to define or alter the subject of the sentence. In contrast with noun phrases, noun clauses have both a subject and a verb.

Examples include:

• Can you tell me what time it is?
• Jerry can invite to dinner whomever he likes.
• I don’t comprehend what you’re thinking about.
• Whether Roma accepts the gift or not is her choice.

In the above sentences, the bolded noun clauses are dependent clauses. In contrast with independent clauses, dependent clauses can’t stand alone as complete sentences. Noun clauses work to add more information to a sentence. If you’re not sure about a clause being a noun clause, then try replacing it with other nouns or pronouns.

For example:

• Can you tell it?
• Jerry can invite him.
• I don’t comprehend her.
• It is her choice.

If you can easily replace the clause with a pronoun, then you’ve found a noun clause. Though, these sentences are not very interesting and comprehensive than the original versions. Noun clauses are more important when making a sentence comprehensible.

How can you Spot a Noun Clause?

Noun clauses can be tricky to spot because they can appear almost anywhere in a sentence. Look for these words is one of the simplest ways to spot a noun clause:

• how
• that
• what
• whatever
• when
• where
• whether
• which
• whichever
• who
• whoever
• whom
• whomever
• why

Although these words can be seen in clauses other than noun clauses. Mostly, noun clauses always start with one of above-mentioned words.

 

 

5 Types of Noun Clauses:

1. Subject of a Sentence

Like a noun or a noun phrase, Noun clauses can also work as subjects of sentences.

For example: 

• Why my pet dog gazes at me is beyond me.
• What Alexa said made her parents laugh.
• What Morgan told amazed her family.
• How the boy performed was worth watching.
• Whatever you are wearing looks amazing.

In the above-mentioned sentences, the bolded noun clause works as a single subject of the independent clause.

 

2. Direct Object

Noun clause can also work as the object of a verb in the independent clause.

For example: 

• The chemist checked that the remedy was not correct.
• She didn’t understand why the oven wasn’t operating.
• Do you know who broke my phone?
• I don’t know what your interests are.
• My brother doesn’t like whom I’m going out with.

In the above-mentioned sentences, the noun clause acts as the direct object of a verb.

 

3. Object of the Preposition 

Sometimes, noun clause acts as the object of a preposition in the independent clauses and come right after the preposition.

For example: 

• I always keep a timetable of when I have upcoming projects.
• Tom is not the best helper of what Marry wants.
• Joseph is not answerable for what Hales thought to do.
• Jerry has emotions for whom he met last Sunday in the zoo.
• They are going to where they went last month.

 

4. Subject Complement 

A noun clause can work as a subject complement or noun that follows linking verbs.

For example:

• Actors can act whatever they want to do on the stage.
• Annie’s problem is that she does not exercise enough.
• Brook’s top achievement at college was when he became head boy.
• Tom’s justification for being late was that he just forgot to set his alarm.

In the above-mentioned sentences, the noun clauses that started with whatever, that, when, etc. are the subject complements.

 

5. Object complement

An object complement is a word or a group of words that either give a new name to the direct object or modifies it.

Here we have some examples of noun clauses as the object complement:

• My father can ask me whatever he wants.
• They nominated Ali what he didn’t want to be.
• The committee will declare the winner whoever completes the project first.
• My friends called me what I love to be named.