The Noun Clause

The Noun Clause : In English grammar, a noun clause is a type of dependent clause that acts as a noun. It functions in the same way as a noun, performing the same grammatical roles and functions, such as a subject, object, or complement.

Noun clauses are formed by using a subordinating conjunction (such as that, whether, if, or who) to connect the clause to the main clause. For example:

• She believes that he is innocent. (In this sentence, “that he is innocent” is a noun clause functioning as the direct object of the verb “believes”.)
• I wonder whether it will rain tomorrow. (In this sentence, “whether it will rain tomorrow” is a noun clause functioning as the direct object of the verb “wonder”.)

Noun clauses can also be introduced by certain question words, such as “what”, “where”, “who”, “whom”, “why”, and “how”. For example:

• I don’t know what he wants. (In this sentence, “what he wants” is a noun clause functioning as the direct object of the verb “know”.)
• She told me how to get there. (In this sentence, “how to get there” is a noun clause functioning as the object of the verb “told”.)

Noun clauses can also be used as the subject of a sentence, as in the following examples:

What he said made me angry. (In this sentence, “what he said” is a noun clause functioning as the subject of the sentence.)
Whether we should go or not is up to you. (In this sentence, “whether we should go or not” is a noun clause functioning as the subject of the sentence.)

A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions as a noun. It can act as a subject, object, or complement in a sentence, and is introduced by a subordinating conjunction or question word.