YEAR III: PNJA V (Integrated Skills 1)

Noun clauses
A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions as a noun. A noun clause is often part of an independent clause,
where it can be a subject or an object. A noun clause can also follow certain adjectives and nouns.
 What the newspaper reported was incorrect. [subject]
 People once believed that the world was flat. [object]
 We were happy that the semester was over.
 Who first challenged the belief that the world was flat?

I. That Clauses
A that clause is a dependent noun clause that begins with the word that. Punctuation rule: NEVER use a comma to
separate a noun clause from the main clause. You can sometimes omit that if the meaning is clear without it.
However, you can never omit that when it is the first word in a sentence.

 The young filmmaker hopes (that) his film will be a financial success.
 That his film is a critical success is beyond doubt.
Starting a sentence with a noun clause seems awkward to many English speakers, so they often rewrite such sentences
by putting it at the beginning and moving the noun clause to the end.
 That Earth is getting warmer is certain.
 It is certain that Earth is getting warmer.
Reported speech
 The prime ministers agree that global warming is a serious world problem.
 They hope that all nations will be responsible for solving this problem.
 Measurements have indicated that the average temperature of Earth has risen in the past hundred years.

 The prime ministers agreed that global warming was a serious world problem.
 They hoped that all nations would be responsible for finding a solution.
 An international group of scientists reported that Earth's temperature had risen 1.1 of (O.6°C) in the last
century.

The verb in the noun clause stays in the present tense when it reports a fact or a general truth:
 Researchers in the field verified that icebergs and glaciers are melting.
Subjunctive
After certain independent clause verbs and adjectives, you must use the subjunctive form of the verb in the following
noun clause. The subjunctive form of a verb is the same as the base form. The verbs and adjectives that require the
subjunctive form in the noun clauses that follow indicate urgency, advisability, necessity, and desirability.

 The company president urged that the marketing department be more aggressive.
 It is necessary that each salesperson work longer hours.

 YEAR III: PNJA V (Integrated Skills 1)
Noun clauses
II. If/Whether clauses
An if/whether clause is a dependent noun clause that begins with the subordinator whether or if. Whether is more
formal than if. The optional'phrase or not may be added in two places with whether and in one place with if.
Therefore, there are five possible patterns:
 The patient wanted to know whether Dr. Chen practices acupuncture.
 The patient wanted to know whether or not Dr. Chen practices acupuncture.
 The patent wanted to know whether Dr. Chen practices acupuncture or not.
 The patient wants to know if Dr. Chen practices acupuncture.
 The patient wants to know if Dr. Chen practices acupuncture or not.

 Is the test easy? -> The students want to know if the test is easy.
 Does he know the answer? -> I want to know whether he knows the answer.
III. Question clauses (indirect questions)
A question clause is a dependent noun clause that begins with a subordinator such as who, what, when, where, why,
how, how much, how long, and so on. There are two possible patterns. In the first pattern, the subordinator is the
subject of the clause.
 The police do not know who committed the robbery.
 The police do not know when the robbery happened.
 What time is it? -> Please, tell me what time it is.
 How did the robbers enter the house? -> The police want to know how the robbers entered the house.

TASK 1. Finish the sentences below with a that clause.

a) Scientists believe
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b) American experts warn
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
c) It is undeniable
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

TASK 2. Transform the following sentences with a subjunctive using the verb in brackets.
Water department restrictions on water use.
 All citizens must conserve water wherever possible. (RECOMMEND)
 Every individual must decrease water use. (DEMAND)
 Every family must reduce its water use by 40 percent. (PROPOSE)
 In the cities, everyone must limit showers to 5 minutes. (SUGGEST)

TASK 3. Rewrite the questions using question clauses.

Is acupuncture a risky medical procedure?
 People are curious to find out
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
.
Are the needles made of stainless steel or of some other metal?
 I am personally interested in learning
…………………………………………………………………………………………..……………..
When did you last perform in Fog City?
 YEAR III: PNJA V (Integrated Skills 1)
Noun clauses
 They did not reveal
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………..……….
How many years have you been together as a group?
 I wanted to know
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………...

TASK 4. Read the paragraph, find mistakes and correct them.

A COLLEGE LECTURE

Professor Sanchez gave a lecture on transistors last Tuesday. First, he explained what are transistors. He

said, that they are very small electronic devices used in telephones, automobiles, radios, and so on. He

further explained that transistors control the flow of electric current in electronic equipment. He wanted to

know which popular technological invention cannot operate without transistors. Most students agreed, it

is the personal computer. Professor Sanchez then asked if the students know how do transistors function

in computers. He said that the transistors were etched! into tiny silicon microchips and that these

transistors increase computers' speed and data storage capacity. Then he asked the class when had

transistors been invented? Sergei guessed that they were invented in 1947. The professor said that he is

correct. Professor Sanchez then asked what was the importance of this invention? Many students

answered that it is the beginning of the information age. At the end of the lecture, the professor assigned a

paper on transistors. He requested that each student chooses a topic by next Monday. He suggested that

the papers are typed.

 YEAR III: PNJA V (Integrated Skills 1)
Noun clauses

Handout based on: A. Oshima and A. Hogue - Writing Academic English (Pearson)