1. A noun clause is formed with subordinator + subject + verb (+ rest of clause). Noun clauses usually begin with words called subordinating conjunctions or subordinators.
Subordinators in noun clauses1
| how | how soon | whenever | who | however | if | how long |
| where | whoever | how long | (The fact) that | wherever | whom | how many |
| whomever | why | how many | what | whatever | which | how much |
| whose | how often | when | whichever | whether (or not) |
A noun clause can serve these functions in a sentence:
Subject:
-
(2The fact) that secondhand smoke, like active smoking, can cause serious health problems has been shown by several studies.
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That they refused the money showed their sense of pride.
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How the 2010 Olympics will impact Vancouver’s homeless is a serious issue.
3Subject complement:
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Their mistake was that he refused to take his friend’s advice.
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The problem was that they lost all their money playing poker.
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The question is whether or not the Canucks will continue to attract fans.
Adjective complement:
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We are all afraid (that) the final exam will be difficult.
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I'm sorry (that) I'm late.
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I'm not sure whether we can still go.
Noun complement:
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The news that they were expelled for plagiarism surprised us all.
Direct object:
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In 1978 scientists discovered (that) the planet Pluto has a satellite.
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The dealer promised (that) I would receive a $500 rebate.
Verbs that permit or require tensed that-complements as direct objects:
| believe | claim | expect | know | assume | discover | explain |
| find | find out | imagine | learn | perceive | prove | see |
| point out | promise | show | think | understand |
- They didn't know how they should answer.
- They asked them about whether they should go.
Object of a preposition:
- How do you feel about the fact that SFU will close for two weeks during the Olympics?
- Microeconomics is concerned with how wheat prices rise while cotton prices fall.
- Scholars disagree over who really wrote some of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
2. Some noun clauses can be reduced to infinitive phrases:
Noun clause:
- They told me that I should drive. (command)
- They asked me if I would help. (request for action)
- I'm not sure how I can help. (modal)
- How society should distribute scarce goods is a central economic problem in any society.(question)
Infinitive phrase:
- They told me to drive.
- They asked me to help.
- I’m not sure how to help.
- How to distribute scarce goods is central economic problem in any society.
1 When a noun clause begins with that and is used as a direct object in a sentence, you can omit that, with nochange in meaning. THAT does not have any function within a noun clause (unlike adjective clauses). It simply introduces it, and therefore, can be omitted. WHETHER and IF also do not have any function within a noun clause, but because they carry important information, cannot be omitted: I wonder whether they (subject) bought (verb) an expensive car. Other "WH-words" DO have a function within a noun clause, just as they do in adjective clauses, and, therefore, cannot be omitted ... even when they're not the subject. I wonder who(m) (indirect object) they (subject) told. (verb)
2 The fact + that clauses are similar in meaning to that clauses; however, they are generally considered less formal.