The Complete Guide To The

TOEFL Guide PBT Edition

Structure Section 1
 Lesson 22: Incomplete Noun Clauses
Noun clauses are the third type of
subordinate clause. They begin with noun-
clause markers.
Noun clauses that are formed from
statements begin with the noun-clause
marker that. Noun clauses formed from
yes/no questions begin with the noun-
clause markers whether or if. Those formed
from information questions begin with wh-
words: what, where, when, and so on.
 * Dr. Hopkins' office is in
this building.(statement) I'm sure
that Dr. Hopkins' office is in
this building.
* Is Dr. Hopkins' office on
this floor? (yes/no question) I
don't know if (whether) Dr.
Hopkins' office is on this floor.
* Where is Dr. Hopkins' office?
(information question) Please tell
me where Dr. Hopkins' office is.
*I don't know what is her name.
(Incorrect use of question word order)

I don't know what her name is.

(Correct word order)

*She called him to ask what time did his

party start.
(Incorrect use of question word order)

She called him to ask what time his party

started.
(Correct word order)
 Noun clauses function exactly as nouns do: as
subjects, as direct objects, or as complements
after the verb to be.

* When the meeting will be held has not been

decided.(noun clause as subject)

* The weather announcer said that there will

be thunderstorms.(noun clause as direct object)

* This is what you need.

(noun clause after to be)

Notice that when the noun clause is the subject

of a sentence, the verb in the main clause does
not have a noun or pronoun subject.
Directions: Choose the one option -(A), (B), (C), or (D)-
that correctly completes the sentences, and then mark the
appropriate blank. The first one is done as an example.

1. ______ begin their existence as ice crystals over most of

the earth seems likely.
______ (A) Raindrops
______ (B) If raindrops
______ (C) What if raindrops
______ (D) That raindrops
2. Scientists cannot agree on ______ related to other orders
of insects.
______ (A) that fleas are
______ (B) how fleas are
______ (C) how are fleas
______ (D) fleas that are
3. It was in 1875 ______ joined the staff of the
astronomical observatory at Harvard University.
______ (A) that Anna Winlock
______ (B) Anna Winlock, who
______ (C) as Anna Winlock
______ (D) Anna Winlock then
4. ______ is a narrow strip of woods along a stream in
an open grassland.
______(A) Ecologists use the term "gallery forest"
______(B) What do ecologists call a "gallery forest"
______(C) "Gallery forest" is the term ecologists use
______(D) What ecologists call a "gallery forest"
5. ______ developed very rapidly in Alabama primarily
because of its rich natural resources.
______ (A) That heavy industry
______ (B) Heavy industry
______ (C) Heavy industry that was
______ (D) When heavy industry
6. ______ so incredible is that these insects successfully
migrate to places that they have never even seen.
______(A) That makes the monarch butterflies' migration
______(B) The migration of the monach butterflies is
______(C) What makes the monarch butterflies' migration
_____(D) The migration of the monarch butterflies, which is
7. Art critics do not all agree on what ______ a painting
great.
______ (A) qualities make
______ (B) are the qualities for making
______ (C) qualities to make
______ (D) do the qualities that make
8. In order to grow vegetables properly, gardeners must
know ______
___ (A) what the requirements for each vegetable are
___ (B) that the requirements for each vegetable
___ (C) what are each vegetable's requirements
___ (D) that is required by each vegetable
9. When ______ is not known.
______ (A) was the wheel invented
______ (B) the invention of the wheel
______ (C) inventing the wheel
______ (D) the wheel was invented
10. For many years people have wondered ______
exists elsewhere in the universe.
______ (A) that life
______ (B) life which
______ (C) whether life
______ (D) life as it
11. ______ of all modern domestic poultry is the red
jungle fowl is widely believed.
______ (A) The ancestor
______ (B) The ancestor is
______ (C) How the ancestor
______ (D) That the ancestor
12. ______ the right side of a person's brain is
dominant, that person is left-handed.
______ (A) That
______ (B) If
______ (C)Which
______ (D) For