a clause that tells how, when, where, or to what extent something was done is a(n) _____.

Noun Clause: What It Is and How to Identify It

Most people are comfortable with the idea of a noun, but they may not experience and so confident when it comes to the noun clause. A noun clause is a group of words acting together every bit a substantive. These clauses are always dependent clauses. That is, they do not form a complete sentence. Have a look at some sample sentences containing substantive clauses to sympathise their purpose and function.

noun clause example

What Is a Noun Clause?

A noun clause functions as a noun in a sentence. It follows a linking or copular verb to draw or change the bailiwick of the sentence. Unlike noun phrases, substantive clauses incorporate both a discipline and a verb.

Substantive clause examples include:

• Do you know what time it is?
• Tom can invite whomever he chooses.
• I don't sympathize what yous're talking about.
• Whether Roman accepts the task or not is his business.

The bolded noun clauses are dependent clauses. Different independent clauses, they can't stand alone as total sentences. Substantive clauses part to add more than details to a sentence. If you lot're not certain whether a clause is a noun clause, try replacing it with other nouns or pronouns.

For example:

• Practise you lot know it?
• Tom can invite her.
• I don't sympathize him.
• Information technology is his business.

If y'all can successfully supersede the clause with a pronoun, y'all've found a substantive clause. However, these sentences are much less interesting and detailed than the original versions. Substantive clauses are important when making a sentence understandable.

How to Spot a Substantive Clause

Because noun clauses can appear almost anywhere in a sentence, they can be tricky to spot. One of the easiest ways to spot a noun clause is to await for these words:

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

While these words can be found in clauses other than noun clauses, noun clauses almost e'er start with one of these words. They're another clue to finding a noun clause in a sentence.

Types of Noun Clauses

At present that you know how to spot a substantive clause, learn how to determine its office within the sentence. Take a look at some of the virtually common roles of substantive clauses.

Subject of a Sentence

A substantive clause can act as the subject of a sentence. The noun clause itself performs the activity in the judgement.

For example:

• What Alicia said fabricated her friends cry.
• What Megan wrote surprised her family unit.
• How the boy behaved was non very polite.

It'south easy to assume that Alicia, Megan and the boy are the subjects of these sentences. Simply that'due south non quite right. Enquire yourself these questions to find the substantive clauses.

• What made her friends weep? (What Alicia said)
• What surprised her family? (What Megan wrote)
• What was not very polite? (How the boy behaved)

A noun clause that functions as the subject of a judgement can be long or brusk. Notwithstanding, if y'all're writing the sentence, keep in heed that a very long substantive clause as a subject may exist confusing to the reader.

Object of a Verb

Simply like all nouns, substantive clauses can act as the directly object of a verb. They follow verbs to inform the reader where the action is going.

For example:

• The pharmacist checked that the prescription was correct.
• He didn't know why the stove wasn't working.
• They at present sympathise that you should not cheat on a exam.

Once once more, y'all can use the method of questioning to demonstrate how the substantive clause is used as a direct object. These are the same questions you would use to find any direct object.

• What didn't she realize? (That the directions were wrong)
• What didn't he know? (Why the stove wasn't working)
• What do they sympathise? (That you should non cheat on a examination)
  

Endeavour replacing each noun clause with the word information technology. Each sentence withal works because each direct object is a noun clause.

Subject area Complement

A noun clause can also serve as a subject complement. A subject complement modifies, describes or completes the field of study of a clause. Subject complements are also chosen predicate nominatives or predicate nouns.

• Carlie's problem was that she didn't practice enough.
• Harry'southward crowning achievement at school was when he became class president.
• Darla's excuse for being late was that she forgot to set her warning.
  

Exercise you lot run into what questions these substantive clauses reply and how they relate to the subject?

• What was Carlie's problem? (That she didn't practice plenty)
• What was Harry's crowning accomplishment? (When he became class president)
• What was Darla's alibi for existence late? (That she forgot to set her alarm)

These noun clauses provide more than information about the subjects of their judgement. Detect that in each case, the verb is a grade of to exist. This is true for all subject complements, not just substantive clauses.

Object of a Preposition

Substantive clauses also human action as objects of a preposition in prepositional phrases. In the examples below, you'll come across the prepositions "of" and "for" in action.

• Harry is not the best provider of what Margie needs.
• Josephine is not responsible for what Alex decided to do.
• Allie's research study is about how Marie Curie discovered radium.
  

Again, the all-time manner to understand this concept is by request the appropriate questions.

• Harry is not the best provider of what? (What Margie needs)
• Josephine is not responsible for what? (What Alex decided to do)
• Allie's study is about what? (How Marie Curie discovered radium)
  

Each of these sentences could exist consummate before the improver of the prepositions. Withal, the prepositions are introduced to provide further particular and the noun clauses act every bit the objects of these prepositions.

Adjective Complement

Concluding simply not least, a noun clause can also function as an describing word complement. These noun clauses complement an adjective or adverb.

• It'south very disappointing that y'all left the party early.
• They're perfectly happy where they live at present.
• Geoffrey runs so fast that he can outrun his dog.
  

The adjective complement is providing more than information almost the adjective or adverb that precedes it.

• What was disappointing? (That yous left the political party early on)
• What are they happy nearly? (Where they alive now)
• How fast does Geoffrey run? (Then fast that he can outrun his dog)

Similar to the examples containing prepositions, each of these sentences could be complete after the describing word. The adjective complements provide further detail and, in each of these instances, these adjective complements are noun clauses.

Clauses Make Sentences Interesting

Noun clauses function in whatever fashion that a one-discussion noun can office. They are cracking additions to a sentence when you want to provide more than information and vary your sentence structure. Compare noun clauses to different types of clauses with a guide to didactics adverbial and adjective clauses.

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Source: https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/nouns/noun-clause.html

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