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Noun Clause
A group of words
with a subject
and a verb
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WHO WHOM WHEN
WHICH HOW WHERE
IF WHY THAT
WHAT WHETHER

WHOEVER WHEREVER
WHICHEVER HOWEVER
WHOMEVER WHATEVER
WHENEVER
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Noun clauses function like nouns.

They can be:
subject
subject complement
object
object of prepositions
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Uses of Noun Clauses

After some verbs and adjectives

To include a question in a statement
(embedded questions)
To report what someone has said or
asked
+ Noun clauses can follow certain verbs and
adjectives that express mental activities
 Agree notice afraid positive
 Believe realize angry sorry
 Decide remember aware surprised
 Doubt see certain sure
 Feel show clear worried
 Forget suppose convinced
 Guess think disappointed
 Hear understand glad
 Hope wonder happy
 Imagine say pleased
 Know tell sad
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To include a question in a statement

I don’t know what time it is.

I wonder how he found out.
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To report what someone has said or asked

He said that he would return.

He asked me what I wanted
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There are three types of Noun
Clauses:

noun clauses with that

noun clauses with WH-word
noun clauses with if and whether
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Noun clauses with THAT can be used
with all verbs mentioned except wonder

I think (that) this book will be

interesting.

The word that can often be omitted.

However it can not be omitted if it is in
the subject position
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The fact that is used as the object of

the preposition

We are curious about the fact that

she is here today.
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Noun clauses with Wh-words

They have statement word order, even when

they occur within questions
Wh + subject + verb

I don’t know what he is doing

I wonder how he feels today.

Where I put my book is a mystery.
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Noun clauses with If/whether

are often followed by or not.

They are often used in statements that

express uncertainty
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Direct (quoted) Speech vs
Indirect (reported) Speech
Direct speech Indirect speech

Simple present ---------- Simple past

Present progressive----------- Past progressive

Simple past--------------------- Past perfect

Present perfect----------------- Past perfect

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Direct (quoted) speech

 States
the exact words a speaker used. In writing,
use quotation marks.
 John said, “ I love this class.”
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Indirect (reported) speech

 Reportswhat a speaker said without using the

exact words. There are no quotation marks.
 John said that he loved this class.
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The reporting verbs say and tell are
usually in the simple past for both
direct and indirect speech.

He said, “It’s great.”

He said it was great
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“I’m leaving.”
She said she was leaving

“I made it.”
He said that he had made it.

He said to her, “I’ve never lied.”

He told her that he had never lied
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Remember to change pronouns, time
and place expressions this and here in
indirect speech to keep the speaker’s
original meaning.

Ann told Rick, “I bought this dress

here.”
Ann told Rick that she had bought
that dress there.
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 He told me (that)
He said: He would leave then.
He was going to drive
Traffic may be bad
she might move
he could help
They had to stay
I must be careful
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Some Modals change forms

can – could
may –might
will – would
have to, must – had to
could, might, should, would, ought
to, and had better do not change
form
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“Are you bringing any fruit into the
country?”
The customs officer asked the
tourists if they were bringing any
fruit into the country.

“Do you have your transcripts with

you?”
The registrar asked me if I had my
transcripts with me.
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“Can you fix my car?”

I asked the mechanic if he could fix
my car.

“Did you see the accident?”

The police officer asked me if I had
seen the accident.
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“What do you want to be when you

grow up?”
My first grade teacher asked me
what I wanted to be when I grew
up.
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Reported commands and requests

Commands and requests are reported using

infinitives, not noun clauses

“Bring the book!”

She told me to bring the book.