NOUN CLAUSE

Keep in your mind!

Noun: is used as a subject or object.

Example: The story is interesting.
I know her house.
Noun clause: is used as a subject or object. In other words, a noun clause is used in the same
ways as a noun.
Example: What he said is interesting.
I know where she lives.

Words to introduce NC

1. Question words:
Who
What
When
Why
Whose
Whom
Which
Where
How

2. Whether/If
3. That

Noun Clause with ‘Question Words’

Where does she live? => I don’t know where she lives.
What did he say? => I couldn’t hear what he said.
Who lives there? => No body knows who lives there.
Who is at the door?
Who is she?
Who are those girls?
Whose house is that?
What did he say?
 I wonder who is at the door.

I don’t know who she is.

I don’t know who those girls are.

I wonder whose house that is.

What he said surprised me.

Noun Clause with ‘whether’ or ‘if’

Yes – No Question Noun Clause

Will she come? I don’t know whether she will come. I don’t know if sh
will come.

Does he need help?

I wonder whether he needs help.

I wonder if he needs help.
I wonder whether or not he needs help. I wonder whether he
needs help or not.
I wonder if he needs help or not.
Whether he needs help or not is not obvious to me.

Noun clause with ‘that’

 Statement Noun clause
He is an excellent student Everybody thinks that he is an
excellent student. I think he is an
excellent student.

The earth is round We know (that) the earth is round

Computer is basic need for modern life That computer is basic need
for modern life is obvious.
It is obvious (that) computer
is basic need for modern life.

English is world language

That English is world language is fact.
It is a fact that English is world
language.
Question Words followed by Infinitive

• I don’t know what I should do.

= I don’t know what to do.

• She can’t decide whether she should go or stay home.

= She can’t decide whether to go or (to) stay home.

• Please tell me how I can get the information. =Please tell me how to get the
information.

• A boy told us where we could find the address. =A boy told us where to find the
address.
Reported /Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech (also referred to as 'reported speech') refers to a sentence reporting what
someone has said.
Reporting Verb

• If the reporting verb (i.e. said) is in the past, the reported clause will be in a past form.

• This form is usually one step back into the past from the original.

• For example:

– He said, “The test is difficult.” He said the

test was difficult.

– She said, “She watches TV every day.”

She said she watched TV every day.
-- Jack said, “I come to school every day.
Jack said he came to school every day.”
Reporting Verb

• If simple present, present perfect or the future is used in the reporting verb (i.e. says) the
tense is retained.

• For example:
– He says the test is difficult.
– She has said that she watches TV every day.
– Jack will say that he comes to school every day.
General truth

• If reporting a general truth the present tense will be retained.

• For example:

- The teacher said, “Phrasal verbs are very important.

The teacher said that phrasal verbs are very important.
Changing Pronouns and Time Signifiers

• When changing from direct speech to indirect speech, it is often necessary to change the
pronouns to match the subject of the sentence.

• For example:

- She said, "I want to present my report.“

She said that she wanted to present her report.

- Jack said, "My friend went to the class with me.“

Jack said his friend had gone to the class with him.
Changing Pronouns and Time Signifiers

• It is also important to change time words (signifiers) when referring to present, past or future
time to match the moment of speaking.

• For example:

- She said, "I want to submit my report tomorrow.“

She said that she wanted to submit her report the next day.

- Jack said, " My friend went to the class with me yesterday.“

Jack said that his friend had gone to the class with him the day before.
Indirect Questions

• When reporting questions, it is especially important to pay attention to sentence order.

• When reporting yes/ no questions connect the reported question using 'if'.

• When reporting questions using question words (why, where, when, etc.) use the question
word + S+ V.
Example:
She asked, "Do you want to come with me?“ She asked me if I
wanted to come with her.
 Dave asked, "Where did you go last weekend?“
Dave asked me where I had gone the previous weekend.
He asked, "Why are you studying English?“ She asked me
why I was studying English.
Indirect command

• When reporting command, change the infinitive verb to ‘to infinitive verb’.

Example:

• He said, “Close the door.” He said to close the door.

• She ordered him, “Don’t come to my house.” She ordered him not to come to her
house.