Noun Clauses

A clause has a subject and a verb and functions as one part of speech.

(It follows therefore that a noun clause functions as a noun in a sentence.)

• I know that it happened .
• I know how it happened .
• I know why it happened .

How To Check If Your 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.)

Easy Examples of Noun Clauses

• I know that the storyis true .
• I saw how the accidenthappened .
• I understand why itwas necessary .
• I know whosaid that . (Often, the opening word (i.e., "how," "that," or the "wh"-word) is the subject of the noun clause.)

The Function of Noun Clauses

• Whoever smelt it dealt it. (Here, the noun clause is a subject.)
• My command is whatever you wish . (Here, the noun clause is a subject complement.)
• I will give what you said some thought. (Here, the noun clause is an indirect object. That's pretty rare.)

Real-Life Examples of Noun Clauses

• Light knows when you are looking at it . ("Light and space" artist James Turrell) (Here, the noun clause is the direct object of the verb "knows.")
• It is a light thing for whoever keeps his foot outside trouble to advise and counsel him that suffers. (Greek tragedian Aeschylus) (Here, the noun clause is the object of a preposition ("for").)
• My relationships are between me and whomever I'm with , not between me and the world. (Actress Lili Reinhart) (Here, the noun clause is the object of a preposition ("with").)
• Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it . (Playwright George Bernard Shaw) (Here, the noun clause is a subject complement.)

More Examples of Noun Clauses

• Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying. (Fran Lebowitz) (This noun clause is the direct object of "ask.")
• He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes . (James Thurber, 1894-1961) (This noun clause is the direct object of "know.")
• It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from man . (H L Mencken, 1880-1956) (This noun clause is the direct object of "believe.")
• I never know how much of what I say is true. (Bette Midler) (This noun clause is an object of a preposition.)
• Man is what he eats . (Ludwig Feuerbach) (This noun clause is a subject complement.)
• My one regret in life is that I am not someone else . (Woody Allen) (This noun clause is a subject complement.)

Why Noun Clauses Are Important

Native English speakers use noun clauses without too many snags. However, here are two issues related to noun clauses that occasionally arise.

(Issue 1) Using a noun clause starting with "That" as a subject grates on the ear.

• That he believes his own story is remarkable. (Jerome Blattner) (Starting a sentence with a noun clause starting "That" is acceptable, but it grates on lots of people's ears. Many writers prefer ""The fact that. ".)

• It is remarkable that he believes his own story. (You might prefer a compromise like this one.)

(Issue 2) Choose the right version of "who" and "whom" at the start of a noun clause.

"Who" is the subject of a verb. "Whom" isn't. It's the same deal with "whoever" and "whomever."

• My relationships are between me and whomever I'm with . (Here, "whomever" is the object of the preposition "with.")
• My relationships are between me and whoever is interested . (Here, "whoever" is the subject of the verb "is." Note that the clause "whoever is interested" is the object of the preposition "between," but that doesn't mean that "whoever" becomes "whomever." If your "whoever" is the subject of a verb, then "whoever," not "whomever," is correct.)

Key Points

• If you don't want to start your sentence with "That" or "The fact that," then reword your sentence.
• Increasingly more people are avoiding "whom" (and "whomever"). So, if you're unsure when to use "who" and "whom," go for "who" and declare "whom" as obsolete. (Yeah, it's time for us to advocate that line.)

This page was written by Craig Shrives.