1. UCI Extension
Paper-Based TOEFL Workshop
Noun Clauses
Structure and Written Expression Skills 9-10
Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL Test
Tutorial prepared by Marla Yoshida
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2. What is a noun clause?
• Review: Nouns can be used in many ways. For example, a
noun can be the subject of a clause…
Some books are very expensive.
• …the object of a clause…
I bought some books at the bookstore.
• …or an object of a preposition…
There are lots of pictures in those books.
• Sometimes we also use a clause in the same way that we use
a noun. A clause can be a subject, an object, or an object of a
preposition. We call this kind of clause a noun clause.
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3. Compare nouns and noun clauses…
• The subject is a noun: The food was delicious.
• The subject is a clause: [What they ate for dinner] was
delicious.
• The object is a noun: Everyone liked the food.
• The object is a clause: Everyone liked [what they ate for
dinner.]
• The object of a preposition is a noun:
They told us about the food.
• The object of a preposition is a clause:
They told us about [what they ate for dinner.]
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4. Using noun clauses
• A noun clause begins with one of these words:
that
the fact that
whether
if
what
when
where
why
how
whatever
whoever
whenever
• Many of these can also be question words. However, the word
order in noun clauses is different from question word order:
What are you doing? (Question order: verb before
subject)
I don’t know [what you are doing]. (Noun clause order:
verb after subject.)
• The word order in a noun clause is like the word order in a
statement: Subject + Verb + Object
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5. Noun clauses with that
• That is often used in reported speech, when we’re telling
what someone said, thought, knew, wrote, etc.
The teacher said [that we should do our homework].
Did you know [that Sacramento is the capital of
California]?
I think [that classical music is boring].
• We can also omit that in this kind of sentence.
The teacher said [we should do our homework].
Did you know [Sacramento is the capital of
California]?
I think [classical music is boring].
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6. Noun clauses with that or the fact that
That or the fact that can also be used in sentences like these:
You forgot my name. It makes me sad.
 [That you forgot my name] makes me sad.
Gold is expensive. It’s a well-known fact.
 [That gold is expensive] is a well-known fact.
The bus was late. That’s not unusual.
 [The fact that the bus was late] is not unusual.
I had promised to go to Starbucks with you. I forgot it.
 I forgot [that I had promised to go to Starbucks with you].
The doctor made a mistake. He regrets it.
 The doctor regrets [the fact that he made a mistake].
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7. Noun clauses with whether or if
Whether and if can be used in noun clauses that come from
yes/no questions:
Is today Ellen’s birthday? I don’t know.
 I don’t know [whether today is Ellen’s birthday].
 I don’t know [if today is Ellen’s birthday].
Is there a Starbucks next to the bank? I can’t remember.
 I can’t remember [whether there’s a Starbucks next to the
bank].
 I can’t remember [if there’s a Starbucks next to the bank].
Can he finish in time? That’s not my problem.
 [Whether (or not) he can finish in time] is not my problem.
 (If doesn’t work well when the clause is a subject.)
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8. Noun clauses with question words
Question words like who, where, or what can also introduce noun
clauses. The word order is Subject + Verb + Object
Where was Leonardo Da Vinci born? I’ve forgotten.
 I’ve forgotten [where Leonardo Da Vinci was born].
Why do people like watching TV? We can’t understand it.
 We can’t understand [why people like watching TV].
How can heavy airplanes stay in the air? It puzzles me.
 [How heavy airplanes can stay in the air] puzzles me.
What do you want? Anything is fine with me.
 [Whatever you want] is fine with me.
Who will come to the party? I’m thinking about it.
 I’m thinking about [who will come to the party].
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9. More about noun clause connectors
As you know, a noun clause can play various roles in a
sentence:
• Sometimes the noun clause is the subject of the sentence:
[How heavy airplanes can stay in the air] puzzles me.
• Sometimes the noun clause is the object of the sentence:
I’ve forgotten [where Leonardo Da Vinci was born].
• Sometimes the noun clause is the object of a preposition:
I’m thinking about [who will come to the party].
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10. More about noun clause connectors
• We can also think about what role the noun clause
connector plays in the noun clause.
• Sometimes the connector is the subject of the noun clause:
I’m thinking about [who will come to the party].
• Sometimes the connector is the object of the noun clause:
I’ve already forgotten [what you told me].
• Sometimes the connector isn’t any of these things:
We’ve forgotten [where Leonardo Da Vinci was born].
I don’t know [why I should study this].
Do you know [whether the post office is open]?
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11. More about noun clause connectors
• When a question word is the subject of a noun clause, it
always needs a singular verb.
I don’t know [who is knocking at the door].
[Whoever knows the answer] should tell us right away.
Please tell me [what has happened].
• Of course, sometimes you can’t tell if the verb is singular or
plural. Here the verb is the same in singular or plural.
I don’t know [who broke the window].
[Whoever broke the window] should apologize.
We’re all wondering [what might happen].
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12. Summary
In this section, you have learned about these things:
• A noun clause is a clause that can be used in the
same way as a noun.
• A noun clause begins with a noun clause
connector.
• A noun clause has the same word order as a
statement (not a question).
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