Noun clause
Definition
In simpler terms, noun clause does the work of a noun.
Difference between noun phrase & noun clause
Let’s see these two examples.
1. I know to play cricket.
2. I know that I can play cricket.
In the first example, I know to play cricket, ‘to play cricket‘, is a phrase as it does not contain a subject or predicate. This phrase is the object of the verb “know” and hence does the work of a noun. Therefore it is a noun phrase.
In the second example, I know that I can play cricket, ‘that I can play cricket‘, contains a subject and predicate of its own. It is therefore a clause. This clause is the object of the verb “know” and so does the work of a noun. Therefore it is a noun clause.
That you have done scares her.
Subject: ‘that you have done’.
Verb: scares
‘That you have done‘, does the work of a noun, and hence it is a Noun clause.
All clauses, and here Noun clause, is a group of words which contains a Subject and a predicate of its own, and does the work of a noun.
How to easily identify a noun clause?
Noun clauses begin with the words
“who, whom, whether, why, that, what, when, where, how, whoever”
Example: Whoever submitted their note can go on the field trip.
Explanation: ‘Whoever submitted their note’ is the noun clause and it takes the place of the subject and hence is called the ‘subject noun clause’.
Example: You know what he did to the dog.
Explanation: ‘what he did to the dog’ is the noun clause and it takes the place of the object and hence is called the ‘object noun clause’.
Example: The astronomer predicted whether it will rain or not.
Explanation: ‘whether it will rain or not’ is the noun clause and it takes the place of predicate and hence is called the ‘predicate nominative’.
