Noun Clauses

1. What is a Noun Clause?

Noun clauses are dependent clauses and cannot stand alone.Below is a list of the
most common words to start a noun clause.
Noun clause words

• how
• how long
• how much / how many
• how often
• that
• the fact that
• what
• whatever
• when
• where
• whether
• which
• whichever
• who
• whoever
• why

2. Creating a Noun Clause

A. Noun Clause: Word + Noun + Verb + Rest of clause

B. Noun Clause: Word + Noun + to-infinitive + Rest of clause
C. Noun Clause: Word + to-infinitive + Rest of clause
D. Noun clauses with whoever/ whatever

A) Noun Clause: Word + Noun + Verb + Rest of clause

 How much money i s invested i n schools depends on various factors.

 Whether people eat a balanced diet will affect their health.

 Environmentalists agree that governments should put climate change at the top of
their agenda.
 Whether people play sport or do exercise will impact their health.

 How often people do exercise, eat well and unwind can affect their mental well being.

 Whether a person is rich or poor will determine how much they spend on holidays.

B) Noun Clause: Word + Noun + to-infinitive + Rest of clause

 Which product to purchase usually depends on both the quality and the price.
 Whichever candidate to hire must be agreed on unanimously.
 How much effort to put into one's job is an individual preference
 How many people to allow into a museum at one time must be regulated.
C. Noun Clause: Word + to-infinitive + Rest of clause

 How to mprove a country's economy is important to assess before providing aid.

 Whether to donate money or provide food and shelter is a difficult decision to make when
helping the homeless.
 How long to stay in one job might be determined by the promotional prospects
within the company.
 Where to build new housing must be dec ided carefully.
 When to take up a hobby can sometimes depend on a person's time in life.

D)Noun Clauses with whoever/ whatever

1- whoever/ whatever + Noun (or Pronoun) + Verb + Rest of the clause
 Whatever education people have in childhood affects the rest of their lives.
 Whatever solution the government decides must reflect the will of the people
2- whoever/ whatever + Verb + Rest of the clause
 Companies should hire whoever has the most experience and qualifications.
 We can decide whatever happens next.

Noun Clauses as Subject in a Sentence:

 The amount of investment in housing depends on various factors
Noun Clauses as Object:
 I believe that diplomacy can solve all problems between countries.
Noun Clauses as Subject Complement:
 The problem is that many people are not recycling.
 The question is why we keep living the way we do if it damages the environment.

Noun Clauses as Complement of an Adjective:

 Many people are not sure how much to donate to charities.

 People are afraid that another financial crisis might arise.
Noun clauses as Complement of a Preposition:
 A good teacher listens to what students have to say.
 We cannot spend our life waiting for whoever might be able to solve our problems
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