Noun clauses: 

 

Examples: 

I heard what he said.  (noun clause)

I heard the answer. (noun phrase) 

 

I don’t know who lives there.  

I wonder where he went on vacation.

She told me that she was nervous about getting sick. 

He asked me if he could send the homework via email. 

 

 

The underlined clauses are noun clauses.  They are used as objects in the above sentences.  Similar to other clauses, noun clauses have a subject and a verb.   

 

***What he told me was surprising.  (noun clauses can also be the subject of the sentence)

I was surprised by what he told me. 

 

 

Different types of noun clauses- 

 

A.  Noun clauses that begin with a question word:

 

Some noun clauses begin with question words like:  who, what, whose, where…. 

 

Where does she go to school?  I don’t know where she goes to school.

What did he say?  I couldn’t hear what he said.

When will they arrive?  Do you know when they will arrive?    

Why was Kuisla speeding?  I don’t know why Kuisla was speeding.  

What time is it? Do you know what time it is?  

 

*** Notice: does, did, and do are used in questions, but not in noun clauses.   

 

 

 

 

Change the questions in parenthesis to noun clauses. 

Example: (What book did she read?)  I want to know what book she read. 

 

 

 

 

1.  (Where do you live?)  Please tell me where you live.

 

2.  (When are they coming?)  Do you know when they are coming?

 

3.  (What did they study last year?)  I don’t know what they studied last year. 

 

4.  (Who did he drive to work this morning?)  I’m not sure who he drove to work this morning. 

 

 

 

 

B.  Noun clauses beginning with whether or if:

When a yes/no question is changed to a noun clause, whether or if is used to introduce the clause.   

 

Does he need help?   I wonder if he needs help (or not).

Will he go to work?  I don’t know whether he will go to work (or not). 

Is he happy with his class?  I wonder if he is happy with his class (or not). 

 

 

 

Change the questions to noun clauses: 

 

1.  Is there gender equality in the US?  I wonder if there is gender equality in the US. 

 

2.   Will my brother speed again? I don’t know if my brother will speed again. 

 

3.  Are Amy Chua’s daughters happy?  I want to know whether Amy Chua’s daughters are happy. 

 

4.  Did he move in with his parents after university?  I wonder if he moved in with his parents after university or not. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.  Noun clauses beginning with that:  

 

We can use a “be” verb with an adjective and follow it with a noun clause which begins with “that”.  

 

You can leave out “that”.  It is optional. 

 

Mr. Kuisla was angry (that) he got a huge fine for his speeding ticket.

Some college graduates are sad (that) they have to move back home with their parents. 

Many people around the world are afraid (that) they might get the coronavirus. 

 

 

 

Finish the following sentences with noun clauses. 

 

1.   I’m sorry (that)  I was late. 

2.   I’m glad I didn’t wait too long. 

3.   I’m worried that it will rain. 

 

 

 

D.  Noun clauses in reported speech: When we use reported speech, we use noun clauses. 

 

We change the tense of the verbs and we change the pronouns.

 

We use something called the “Rule of Sequence of Tenses”.  This is used in formal writing.

 

Exact quote:                                                     ​Reported speech:

 

She said, “I am tired.” (present tense) ​She said (that) shewas tired.   (past tense) 

 

He said, “I am writing my paper.”              ​He said that hewas writing his paper. 

 ​(present continuous)                                           ​(past continuous) 

 

Lisa said, “I corrected your papers.”             ***Lisa told us that she had corrected our papers.  

  (simple past)                                                       ​    (past perfect) very formal 

 

He said, “I have finished my work.”                He said he had finished his work. 

  ​(present perfect)                                    ​  (past perfect) 

 

More changes with verbs: 

 

Will changes to would 

Can changes to could 

May changes to might 

Is going to + verb changes to was going to + verb 

 

*should stays the same 

 

My teacher said, “You should study more.”  My teacher told me(that) I should study more. 

 

 

Here are some more examples: 

 

He said, “ I did well on my in-class writing.” 

He told me that he had done well on his in-class writing. 

 

The teacher said, “You did well on your exam.”

The teacher told me I had done well on my exam.

 

John asked his teacher, “When are you going to give us our review sheet?” 

John asked his teacher when she was going to give them their review sheet. (wh question)  

 

She said, “Can you help me with my revision?”

She asked me if I could help her with her revision.  (yes/no question) 

 

***Notice the changes in verb tense and pronouns for reported speech. 

 

The students said, “Will we take our finals online?” 

The students asked if they would take their finals online.  (yes/no question)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change the following sentences with quoted speech into reported speech. 

 

1.  My friend said, “Do you want to meet me at the park?” 

My friend asked me if I wanted to meet him at the park. 

 

2.  My teacher said, “You need to finish your exam and turn it in.” 

My teacher told me (that) I needed to finish my exam and turn it in. 

 

3.  The student said, “I will finish my paper soon.” 

The student told his teacher he would finish his paper soon. 

 

4. Several students asked, “When will we take our final exam?” 

Several students asked their teacher when they would take their final exam. 

 

5.  The teacher asked, “Have you received your covid vaccine yet?” 

The teacher asked us whether we had received our covid vaccine yet. 

 

 

 

 

***Notice how this one is different:  

 

The teacher asks, “How are you?” at the beginning of each class.

The teacher asks us how we are at the beginning of each class. 

 

 

 

 

 

He told me/my mom/ the teacher that he was hungry. 

He said that he was hungry.