Englishtown
Englishtown
Free
English for New Immigrants !
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Grammar for
foreigner:
ESL-52
ESL-53
Dictionary:
Contents: 8.
Connecting Ideas 9.
Comparisons 10.The
Passive
11.Cont/Noncount
Nouns and Articles
12.Ajective
Clauses 13.Gerunds and Infinitives
14.Noun
Clauses Appendix:
Phrasal Verbs Preposition Combinations
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14-1 Noun Clauses: Introduction |
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S V
o (a) I know his address. (noun phrase). (b) I know where he lives. (noun clause) |
Verbs are often followed by
objects. The object is usually a noun phrase. Some verbs can be followed by noun clauses. In (b): where he lives is a noun clause; where he lives is the object of the verb know. |
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(c) I
know where
my book
is. (noun clause) |
A noun clause can can begin with a question word. |
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(d) I don't know
if Ed is married. (noun clause) |
A noun clause can can begin with if or whether. |
| (e) I know that the world is round. | A noun clause can can begin with that. |
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14-2 Noun Clauses That Begin with A question word |
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| Information Question | Noun Clause | |
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(a) Where does he
live? (c) When did they leave? (e) What did she stay? (g) Why is Tom absent? |
(b) I don't know where
he lives. (d) Do you know when they left? (f) Please tell me what she said?(h) I wonder why Tom is absent. |
Notice: in the example: Usual question word order is NOT used in a noun clause. Incorrect: I know where does he live. |
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(i) Who came
to class? (k) What happened? |
(j) I don't know who
came to class. (I) Tell me what happed. |
In (i) and (j): Question word order and noun clause word order are the same when the question word is used as a subject. |
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14-3 Noun Clauses with Who, What, Whose + Be |
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| Question | Noun Clause | |
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(a) Who is that boy? (c) Whose pen is this? |
(b) Tell me who that
boy is. (d) Tell me whose pen this is. |
A noun or pronoun that follows main verb be in a question comes in front of be in noun clause, as in (b) and (d). |
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(e) Who is
in the office? (g) Whose pen is on the desk? |
(f) Tell me who is
in the office. (h) Tell me whose pen is on the desk. |
A prepositional phrase ( in the office) does not come in front of be in a noun clause. |
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14-4 Noun Clauses That Begin with If or Whether |
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| Yes/No Question | Noun Clause | |
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(a) Is Eric at home? (c) Does the bus stop here? (e) Did Alice go to Chicago? |
(b) I don't know if
Eric is at home. (d) Do you know if the bus stop here? (f) I wonder if Alice went to Chicago. |
When a yes/no question is changed to a noun clause, if is usually used to introduce the clause. |
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(g) I don't know if
Eric is at home or not. |
When if introduces a noun
clause, the expression or not sometimes comes at the end
of the clause, as in (g) In (h): whether has the same meaning as if. |
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14-5 Noun Clauses That Begin with That |
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S
V
o |
A noun clause can be introduced by the word
that.
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(e) I
think that Mr. Jones is good
teacher. (f) I think Ø that Mr. Jones is good teacher. |
The word that is often committed, especially in speaking. (e) and (f) have the same meaning. |
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(a) I'm sure that the bus stops here. |
That-clause can follow certain expressions with be
+ adjective or be + past
participle. |
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(e)
It is true that the world is round. |
Two common expressions followed by that-clauses are: It is true (that)... It is a fact (that)... |
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14-6 Substituting So for A That-Clause in Conversational Responses |
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(a) A: Is Anna from Peru? B: I think so. (so =that Ana is form Peru) (b) A: Does Judy live in Dallas? B: I believe so (c): A: Did you pass the test? B: I hope so. (d) A: Do you want to come with us? B: I don't know. I guess so. |
Think, believe,
and hope are frequently followed by so
in conversational English in response to a yes/no
question. They are alternative to yes, no, or
I don't know. So replaces a that - clause. Other common conversational responses: I guess not. I suppose so. I suppose not. |
| 14-7 Verb Forms In Reported Speech | |
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(a) Quoted: Joe said, " I feel good." (b) Reported: Joe said he felt good. (c) Quoted: Sue said, " I am happy." (d) Reported: Sue said she was happy. |
In formal English, if the reporting verb (said) is in the past, the verb in the noun clause is often also in a past form, as in (b) and (d). |
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Ann said, "I am hungry." (e) A: What did Ann just say? I didn't hear her. B: She said she is hungry. (f) A: What did Ann say when she got home last night? B: She said she was hungry. |
In informal English, often
the verb in the noun clause is not changed to a past
form, especially when words are reported soon after
they are said, said, as in (e). In later reporting, however, or in formal English, a past verb is commonly used, as in (f). |
| (g) Ann says (that) she is hungry. | If the reporting verb is present tense, no change is made in the noun clause verb. |