PAPER

NOUN CLAUSES
This paper is written to fulfil the assignment of Intermediate Grammar Course.
Lecturer: Drs.Syauqi M.Pd.

Written by:
Ahmad Reza Fahlevi 11180140000018
Mutiara Arista 11120140000037
Nabila Maura Galuh D.P 11200140000058
Nur Ambaria Jannah 11180140000017
Zhara Nur Azmi Laila 11200140000045

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHERS TRAINING
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA
2021
ABSTRACT
The chapter focuses attention on the words that introduce noun clauses. I t begins by
focusing on the use of question words and the confusing similarity between noun clauses and
questions. The students transform questions into noun clauses. Then many of the variations
in the use of that-clauses are presented. Next, we learn to punctuate quoted speech, and then
to make adjustments in verb forms and pronouns as they change quotes into reported speech.
Added to the end of the chapter are two short sections, one on the subjunctive in noun
clauses and one on words such as whatever,whoever,whenever, etc.

A. INTRODUCTION
Definition of "Clause": A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.
Definition of a “Phrase”: A phrase is a group of words that does not contain a subject or a
verb.
An Independent clause or a main clause is a complete sentence. It contains the main subject
and verb of a sentence.
Example:
Sue Lives in Tokyo. (statement)
Where does Sue Live? (question)
A noun clause is a clause that plays the role of a noun. For example (noun clauses
underlined):
I like what I see. (Like all clauses, a noun clause has a subject and a verb. In this example,
the subject of the clause is "I" and the verb is "see.")
I know that patience has its limits. (In this example, the subject of the clause is "patience"
and the verb is "has.")
 How To Check If Your Clause Is Functioning As a Noun
A great way to check whether a phrase or clause is functioning as a noun is to have a go at
replacing it with a pronoun. If you can, your phrase or clause is functioning as a noun.
What I say is true.
(Pronoun test: "It is true." This proves that "What I say" is functioning as a noun.)
Show me how they work.
(Pronoun test: "Show me them." This proves that "how they work" is functioning as a noun.)
 The Function of Noun Clauses
Like any noun, a noun clause can be a subject, an object, or a complement. Here are some
more easy examples of noun clauses as subjects, objects, and complements.
Whoever smelt it dealt it. (Here, the noun clause is a subject.)
My command is whatever you wish. (Here, the noun c subject complement.)
I will give what you said some thought. (Here, the noun clause is an indirect object. That's
pretty rare.)

B. NOUN CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH QUESTION WORD

Within a noun clause itself, the subject always precedes the verb. This is true even when a
noun clause begins with a question word, such as where, what, when, how, who, whom,
whose, what, which, and whether.
Sometimes the word order is the same in a question and a noun clause that answers that
question. In the following examples, who is the subject of both the question and the answer:
Who works there?
I don’t know who works there.

Who is at the door?

I don’t know who is at the door.

In other situations, the subject of the question and the answer are different:

Who are those women?

I don’t know who those women are.
(In the question, those women is the subject. Because it is the subject, it must be placed
before the verb are in the noun clause that answers the question.)

C. NOUN CLAUES BEGINNING WITH WHETHER OR IF

Will she come ? When a yes / no question is changed to a noun

a. I don’t know whether she will come clause, whether or if is used to introduce the
clause.
b. I don’t know if she will come
(Note: Whether is more acceptable in formal
English, but if is quite commonly used, especially
in speaking.)
Does he need help ?
a. I wonder whether he needs help Does nya tidak terlihat karena
menggunakan rumus simple present
b. I wonder if he needs help
Verb + S
As Object These sentence using the
a. I wonder whether or not he will come. patterns When using ( or not )
words
b. I wonder whether he will come or not.
c. I wonder if he will come or not.

Object
Noun Clause

Subject Verb
As Subject
a. Whether he comes or not is unimportant to me

Subject
NB : if word cannot use as
Noun Clause
subject

D. QUESTION WORDS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE

I don't know what I should do.

I don't know what to do.
Pam can't decide whether she should go or stay home.
Pam can't decide whether to go or (to) stay home.
Please tell me how I can get to the bus station.
Please tell me how to get to the bus station.
Jim told us where we could find it.
Jim told us where to find it.

Question words (when, where, how, who, whom, whose, what, which) and
whether may be followed by an infinitive. Each pair of sentences in the examples
has the same meaning. Notice that the meaning expressed by the infinitive is either
should or can/could.

e.g
1. He told me when I should come

He told me when to come

 2. Do you know what I should give for her birthday. Got any suggestion ?

E. NOUN CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH THAT

Statement : Noun Clause

- He is a good actor. a. I think that he is a good actor.
b. I think he is a good actor.

In (a) : that he is a good actor is a noun clause. It is used as the object of the verb think.
Note : The word that, when it introduce a noun clause, has no meaning itself. It simply marks
the beginning of the clause. Frequently it is omitted, as in (b), especially in speaking. (If used
in speaking, it is unstressed.)

Statement Noun Clause

- She doesn’t understand spoken English. c. That she doesn’t understand spoken
English is obvious.
d. It is obvious (that) she does’t
understand spoken English.
- The world is round. e. That the world is round is a fact.
f. It is a fact that the world is round.
In (c) : The noun clause (That she doesn’t understand spoken English) is the subject of the
sentence. The word that is not omitted when it introduces a noun clause used as the subject of
a sentences, as in (c) and and (f).
More commonly, the word it functions as the subject and the noun clause is placed at the end
of the sentence, as in (d) and (f).

F. QUOTED SPEECH
Quoted speech refers to reproducing words exactly as they were originally spoken. Quoted
speech is also called “direct speech.”
Quotation marks (“. ..”) are used. In British English, quotation marks are called “inverted
commas” and can consist of either double marks (“) or a single mark (‘).
1. QUOTING ONE SENTENCE

a. She said, “My brother is a student.”

In a : Use a comma after she said. Capitalize the first word of the quoted sentence. Put the
final quotation marks outside the period at the end of the sentence.
b. “My brother is a student,” she said.
In b : Use a comma, not a period, at the end of the quoted sentence when it precedes she said.

c. “My brother,” she said, “is a student.”

In c : If the quoted sentence is divided by she said, use a comma after the first part of the
quote. Do not capitalize the first word after she said.

2. QUOTING MORE THAN ONE SENTENCE

d. “My brother is a student. He is attending a university,” she said.

In d : Quotation marks are placed at the beginning and end of the complete quote.
Notice: There are no quotation marks after student.

e. “My brother is a student,” she said. “He is attending a university.”

In e : If she said comes between two quoted sentences, the second sentence begins with
quotation marks and a capital leter.

3. QUOTING A QUESTION OR AN EXCLAMATION

f. She asked, “When will you be here?”

In f : The question mark is inside the quotation marks.

g. “When will you be here?” she asked.

In g : If a question mark is used, no comma is used before she asked.

h. She said, “Watch out!”

In h : The exclamation point is inside the quotation marks.

i. “My brother is a student,” said Anna.

“My brother,” said Anna, “is a student.”
In i : The noun subject (Anna) follows said. A noun subject often follows the verb when the
subject and verb come in the middle or at the end of a quoted sentence.
(Note: A pronoun subject almost always precedes the verb. Very rare: “My brother's a
student,” said she.)

j. “Let's leave,” whispered Dave.

k. “Please help me,” begged the unfortunate man.
l. “Well,” Jack began, “it’s a long story.”
Say and ask are the most commonly used quote verbs. Some others: add, agree, announce,
answer, beg, begin, comment, complain, confess, continue, explain, inquire, promise, remark,
reply, respond, shout, suggest, whisper.

G. REPORTED SPEECH : VERB FORMS IN NOUN CLAUSES

Reported speech is a grammatical mechanism for reporting the content of another
utterance without directly quoting it.

QUOTED SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

(a) “ I watch TV every day.” She said she watched TV every day.
(b) “ I am watching TV.” She said she was watching TV.
(c) “ I have watched TV.” She said she had watched TV.
(d) “ I watched TV.” She said she had watched TV.
(e) “ I had watched TV.” She said she had watched TV.
(f) “ I will watch TV.” She said she would watch TV.
(g) “ I am going to watch TV.” She said she was going to watch TV.
(h) “ I can watch TV.” She said she could watch TV.
(i) “ I may watch TV.” She said she might watch TV.
(j) “ I must watch TV.” She said she had to watch TV.
(k) “ I have to watch TV.” She said she had to watch TV.
IMMEDIATE REPORTING:
- What did the teacher just say? I didn’t hear him.
- He said he wants us to read Chapter Six.

LATE REPORTING:
- I didn’t go to class yesterday. Did Mr. Jones make any assignment?
- Yes. He said he wanted us to read Chapter Six.

WHAT IS THE REPORTING VERB?

Reporting verb is word used to report about (or refer to) what another person has said,
written or done. Example: say, tell.

PATTERNS OF NOUN CLAUSES:

A. Boy says, “ I will go to your house.”
B. Boy says that he will go to my house .
S RS Noun clause

A. Boy said, “ I will go to your house.”

B. Boy said that he would go to my house.
S RS Noun clause

Note:
1. when the reporting verb is simple present, present perfect, or simple future the noun clause
verb is not changed
2. Should, ought to, and might do not change to a past form.

H. USING THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN NOUN CLAUSES

FUNCTION EXAMPLE OF SENTENCE

To express requirements and suggestions - They requested that we not go after
by using verbs which are commonly midnight.
followed by Subjunctive in Noun Clause, - Mr. Brian insists that we be careful in
namely: Advise (that), our writing.
Ask (that), Demand (that), Insist (that), - The doctor recommended that she stay
 Propose (that), Recommend (that), in bed for a few days.
Request (that), Suggest (that). - The students suggested we have class
outside.
- She asked that we be sure to lock the
door behind us.
To express requirements by using - It is necessary that everyone come here
adjectives and expressions which are on time.
commonly followed by Subjunctive in - It is essential that pollution be
Noun Clause, namely: Its is essential controlled and eventually be eliminated.
(that), It is imperative (that), It is - It is vital that no one know about the
important (that), It is critical (that), It is secret government operation.
necessary (that), It is vital (that) - It is necessary that everyone come here
on time.

I. USING -EVER WORDS

-ever Word Meaning

Whatever ‘anything’ or ‘it doesn’t matter what’
Whicever ‘any one of a group’ or ‘it doesn’t matter
which’
Whoever ‘any person’ or ‘it doesn’t matter who’
Wherever ‘any place’ or ‘it doesn’t matter when’
Whenever ‘any time’ or ‘it doesn’t matter when’
However ‘any way’ or ‘it doesn’t matter how’

Each one is formed by taking what we call “wh- question words” –

like when and where -- and adding the word -ever to them. A common structure for -ever
words is: -ever word + subject + verb. Wh-ever word clauses can be used as a subject or an
object in a sentence.

 Whatever

Let’s start with the word whatever. The word whatever can mean “anything” at all or “it
doesn’t matter what.”
Example:
 You can have whatever you like.
This sentence means: “You can have anything that you like.”
Whatever also means “it doesn’t matter what.”
 Whatever you do, don’t come home after sunset!
 This sentence means: “I don’t care what you are doing. Just don’t come after sunset!”
In this case, “Whatever you do” is a not a necessary clause, but is used
to emphasize when to return home.
 You can eat whatever you want in this restaurant.
This mean: You can eat what you want to eat in this restaurant.

 Whatever I eat in this restaurant is fatty and unhealthy.

This mean: All the foods he ate in that restaurant was all fatty and unhealthy.

 Whichever

Our next -ever word is whichever. The word whichever can mean “any one of a group” or

“it doesn’t matter which.”
English learners may ask about the difference between whichever and whatever. Here’s
what’s different: whichever is used when identifying from a set of choices that are known to
both the speaker and the listener.
Example :
 Those three hats are the nicest. Choose whichever you like best and I’ll buy it.
This means: “Choose any one of the three hats and I’ll buy it.”
The word whichever also means “it doesn’t matter which.”
 A : “I’m not sure whether I want to go to Martinique, Guadeloupe or St. Lucia.”
B : “Whichever trip you choose, I’m sure you’ll get lots of time in the sun.
The second speaker is saying: “It doesn’t matter which trip you choose. I’m sure you’ll get to
spend a lot of time in the sun.”
Whicever + noun = a choice between a limited number of things.
Example :
 You can buy whichever shoes you like. (whitin a limited group) (compare to : you can
buy whatever shoes you like = any shoes in the world).
 Whiceber shoes you choices in this store will be expensive.

 Whoever
 Our next -ever word is: whoever or whomever. Unlike other -ever words, this word has
two forms. The word whomever has become less common over the years because of the
difficulty people have had knowing when to use it. Today, whoever is more popular in
American English.
The word whoever can mean “any person” or “it doesn’t matter who.”
Example:
 Whoever told you that didn’t know much about cars.
This means: “Any person who gave you that piece of information did not know much
about cars.”
Whoever also means “it doesn’t matter who.”
Example :
 Whoever you go with, make sure they bring their cell phone.
The speaker is saying that it doesn’t matter who you go with. Make sure they bring
their phone.

 Whomever

Whomever is used when a verb requires an object.

Example :
 Whomever (whoever) you talk to doesn’t concern me.
This mean: I don’t care who you talk to because it is no interest to me.

 You can talk to whomever (whoever) you want.

This mean: You can freely talk to anyone you want to talk to.

 Wherever

Our next word -- wherever -- can mean “in at or to any place” or “it doesn’t matter
where.”
Example:
 Home can be wherever you find happiness.
This mean : “Home can be a place where we find happiness”.

 Wherever the boy went, the dog followed.

 This mean : “The dog always followed the boy where the boy went”.
Tell us what you think each sentence means.
 Let’s go abroad. We can go wherever you want.
This mean: “In abroad we can go anywhere we want to visit”.
 Wherever you want to go is fine by me.
This mean : “When you decide to go anywhere you want to go I don’t mind”.
Wherever = anywhere.

 Whenever

Onto our next -ever word: whenever. This word can mean “at any time” or “it doesn’t
matter when.”
Example :
 I’m going to stay for another hour. Feel free to leave whenever you want.
This mean : The speaker allows the person to leave at any time, because he is away
for another hour.

 Whenever you have time, let’s sit down and have some pie.
This mean: When you have free time, he wants to invite you to spend time to eating
pie together.

 You can come to my house whenever you are in need.

This mean: When you need anything, you can come visit her house anytime.

 Whenever I want to stay at home, an unexpected guest arrives.

This mean: at any time the speaker is at home, there are always be an unexpected
guest visiting his house.
In the second example the word whenever is used simply to emphasize that this can
happen when the person has time. Replacing whenever with the word when would express
the same basic meaning.

 However

Now, let’s move on to our final -ever word for today: however. As you may
know, however can have a few meanings, including being a synonym for the word but.
But today, we’ll talk about its meanings as an -ever word. However can mean “in any way”
“any manner” or “it doesn’t matter how.”
Example :
 We will help you however we can.
This mean: “We will help anyway that we can do fo you”.

 However you do it, please finish it by 10 tomorrow morning.

This mean: “No matter you want to do anything, the task has to be finished by 10
o’clock tomorrow morning”.

 However you dress is fine with me.

This mean: “no matter what dress you wear it, all doesn’t matter to me”.

 You can dress however you like.

This mean: “You can wear all the dresses you like”.
Tell us what you think the meanings are. What can you do? So, how can you
become comfortable using -ever words?
The next time you’re reading something, listening to a song, or watching a film or
television show in English, look for examples of -ever words. Then, try using them in your
everyday conversations. If you practice these words enough, you’ll be able to use
them whenever and wherever you like.