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Academic Writing INoun Clauses

Lecturer Voeng Sokkhanនិ�្ិសត សាងំ ទេ រក្សា

Academic year: 2016

NOUN CLAUSESI. Definition

A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions as a noun. It can be a subject, object, or subject complement. However, you will study the noun clause only as it is used as an object.

1. Consider the following examples

Sentences Noun Clauses

1. The world is round.2. Does she need help?3. Who lives there?4. What happens?5. Who is at the doctor?

a. that the world is roundb. if she need helpc. who lives thered. what happense. who is at the doctor

2. Form, list of subordinators of noun clausesa. Forms of noun clauses

   

Examples: that science courses require a laboratory period where the student union is whether our projects are due next week if lunch is being served

Note: One kind of noun clause has a slightly different pattern. In an included WH-question clause when the subordinator and the subject are the same word, the pattern is:

Examples: who made the error what happened at the US/USSR summit

b. List of subordinators which introduce noun clauses

3. Consider the noun clauses as objectBecause a noun clause is dependent, it must be connected to an independent clause to form a complex sentence. A noun clause used as an object is preceded by an independent clause called an introductory clause. The noun clause is the object of the introductory clause verb.

INTRODUCTORY CLAUSE DEPENDENT NOUN CLAUSE 

Subject Verb ObjectI know that people have different opinion about capital punishment.

 

SubordinatorsIncluded Statement that

Included Wh-question

who, whoever, whom, whomever, whose, what, whatever, which, whichever, where, wherever, when, whenever, why, how, howeverhow much/many /long /often…etc

Included Yes/No question

whether(or not)/ if

II. Types of noun clausesThere are 3 types of dependent noun clauses:

That-clauses are made from statements. WH-question clauses are made from WH-questions. Yes/No question clauses are made from yes/no questions.1. That-clausesA. DefinitionThat-clauses are dependent noun clauses often introduced by the subordinator (that). Since subordinator (that) has no grammatical function, it may be omitted.

B. Form: that-clause is composed of

C. Examples: (that) the study of the brain is fascinating (that) the brain is the master control for both mind and body (that) it controls sentences, moods, though, and actions

D. List of some introductory clause verbs that are used to introduce that clause

Group I: (do not take an indirect object in an introductory clause)........agree.......answer.......conclude .......notice.......realize......think

Examples: The president concluded that he would veto the bill. The students answer that they have done homework already. The Cambodians noticed that the traffic accident in Cambodia has been increasing this

year. Some people realize that ASEAN integration in 2015 in Cambodia is not possible. The prime minister agreed that traffic accident in Cambodia has already been

increasing.

Group II: (may or may not take an indirect object. However, if an indirect object follows one of these verbs, (to) must precede it)

..........admit (to + indirect object)

..........explain (to + indirect object)

.........mention (to + indirect object)

........point out (to + indirect object)

........reply (to + indirect object)

Examples:

The president explains (to the nation) that the country faced a deficit. He mentioned (to the press) that he might raise taxes. They admitted (to the teacher) that they had made a mistake.

She pointed out (to the danger) that they might be left behind. The teachers in Pursat Seconday School replied (to the school director)

that they were not happy about the job of invigilator.

Group III: (must be followed by an indirect object)

............assure

...........convince

...........inform

..........notify

..........remind

.........tell

Examples:

The government told the public that the state faced a serious water shortage.

He informed the press that water rationing was necessary. She assured him that the car would be ready the next day. It’s useless trying to convince her that she doesn’t need to lose any weigh. We noticed the police that the bicycle had been stolen. I range Jill and remind her that the conference had been canceled.

Group IV: (may or may not take an indirect object)

..........promise

.........show

........teach

.........warn

........write (to)

Examples:

The mayor promised (city employees) that they wouldn’t lose their jobs.

He warned (them), however, that there would be raises.

The government has promised (people) that they will reduce taxes. The diaries show (us) that he was very insecure.

2. WH-question clausesA. Definition

WH-question clause is a dependent noun clause formed from a direct WH-question that is first changed into a statement and then joined to an introductory clause to form a complex sentence.

B. FormA WH-question clause can follow two patterns, the subject pattern or the object pattern.

a) Subject Pattern: the subject pattern the Wh-question word is the subject of its own clause and the direct wh-word become a dependent noun clause without any change in word order.

 

Examples: ..........who started the space race ..........what happened in 1965 ..........how many astronauts have walked on the moon ..........which achievement was the most significant ..........how much money was spent to put a man on the moon

In the following table, these questions have been transformed into dependent noun clauses. Notice that there is no change in word order.

Wh-question clause word order-subject pattern

b. Object Pattern In the object pattern the Wh-word is only a subordinator, it is not the subject. In the object pattern, the word order changes when you transform a direct wh-question into a wh-question clause. This pattern occurs when the wh-word is not the subject of the noun clause, and when you have questions containing the verb to be plus a subject complement.

Wh-question clauseIntroductory Clause Wh-question word Verb Complement

1. Do you know2. Can you tell us3. Does he remember4. The professor asked us5. Some people complain about

who whathow many astronautswhich achievementhow much money

startedhappenedhave walkedwaswas spent

the space race?in 1965?on the moon?the most significant.to put a man on the moon

Study the following direct wh-questions. Who are the hijackers? (with to be and a subject complement) How can we end airplane hijackers? (with modal verb) Where have they taken the hostages? (with auxiliaries has/have/had) What do the hijackers want? (with the auxiliaries do/does/did) Notice what happens to the word order when you transform wh-questions into wh-question clauses.

Wh-Question Clauses Word Order_Object Pattern

Notice: In the object pattern, wh-question clauses use the statement word order, and the auxiliary do/does/did are deleted.

Included Wh-Question ClauseIntroductory Clause Wh-word Subject Verb Complement

1. No one knows2. It’s difficult to determine3. The police won’t reveal4. The government wouldn’t say

whohowwherewhat

the hijackerswetheythe hijackers

arecan endhave takenwanted

airplane hijackers the hostages.

3. Yes/No Question ClausesA. Definition

Yes/No question clauses are dependent noun clauses that are formed yes/no question. A yes/no question is changed into a statement by adding the subordinator whether, whether or not, or if.

B. Form: Yes/No question is formed by

C. Examples:

............+ if+ subject+ verb+ complement

............+ whether (or not) +subject+ verb+ complement

............+whether+ subject+ verb+ complement......or not

Direct Yes/NO Questions Yes/No Question Clauses1. Do final examinations begin next

month?2. Will the university accept late

registration?

3. Was the notice posted on the bulletin board?

4. Has the quiz been postponed?

...if the final examinations begin next month

...whether (or not) the university will accept late registration...whether or not the notice was posted on the bulletin board...whether the quiz has been postponed

D. Yes/No Question Clauses Word Order

E. Rule of Yes/No question clause1. Changing the word order to statement form2. Deleting the auxiliary do/does/did3. Adding if, whether (or not) or whether.....or not.

Whether is formal, if is informal. Whether and if may both occur alone. I don’t know whether or not he is coming. (if or not is not possible) I don’t know if he is coming.

Whether or not may be written together at the beginning of the clauses or may be separated.

I don’t know whether or not he is coming. I don’t know whether he is coming or not.

Yes/No Question ClausesIntroductory Clauses Subordinator Subject+ Verb+ Complement

1. Do you know2. We would like to inquire3. The professor didn’t

know4. Ask the teacher

ifwhether (or not)ifwhether

final examinations begin next month?the university will accept late registrationthe notice had been posted on the bulletinthe exam has been postponed.

IV. Subjunctive Noun Clauses1. Meaning

The verb in a dependent that-clause is in the simple form after certain introductory clauseverbs indicating urgency, advisability, and desirability:

2. Some verbs used as subjective noun clausesadvise, demand, move, recommend, ask, direct, propose, suggest, command, insist, urge

3. Examples of using subjunctive noun clauses The company president demanded that the sales department increase its sale volume. He has insisted that their foreign competitors be pushed out of the domestic. He direct that sales force not be increased at his this time.

Note: The verbs in the that noun clause following the verbs suggest and recommend can be used with the modal should.

Did the president suggest that the sales manager (should) increase sale? The count recommended that the sales figures (should) be reduced to reflect merchandised

returned.4. Adjective used as subjunctive noun clause

advisable, necessary, important, essential, urgent, vitalExamples:

It is essential that this country export more of its products. It is vital that our country’s imports not exceed its exports.

V. Noun Clause as Subject1. Meaning of Noun Clauses as subjectsEvery clause, whether independent or dependent, by definition has its own subject-verb combination. Sometimes common nouns function as subjects; sometimes proper nouns, pronoun, gerund, or infinitive function as subjects. In fact, sometimes even a noun clause functions as a subject. Examine carefully the examples that follow to see how noun clauses may function as subjects.

2. Examples of Noun Clauses as SubjectsHere are three examples of noun clauses as subjects

How you learn matters significantly. What he said is this That you had forgotten worried us. Where is the noun clause in each of these sentences? What verb does each noun clause combine with to form a subject-verb

combination? What is the subject-verb combination of each noun clause?

3. Analyzing Noun Clauses as SubjectsExample Sentence

a. How you learn matters significantlyThe noun clause in this example, “How you learn,” combines with the verb “matters” to form a subject-verb combination. So the noun clause here functions as a subject. The subject-verb combination of the noun is “you learn.” Its subordinators is “How”

b. What he said is this.The noun clause in this example, “What he said” combines with the verb “is” to form a subject-verb combination. So the noun clause here functions as a subject. The subject-verb combination of the noun clause is “he said” Its subordinator is “What”

c. That you had forgotten worried us greatly.The noun clause in this example, “That you had forgotten.” combines with the verb “worried” to form a subject-verb combination. So, the noun clause here also functions as a subject. The subject-verb combination of the noun clause is “you had forgotten.” its subordinator is “That”

d. Thomas made her angry.“Thomas” is a proper noun, functioning as the subject of this sentence.That he had even asked her made her angry.

The noun clause “that he had even asked her” is the subject of this sentence.