NOUN CLAUSE
WHAT IS A NOUN?
Definitions of Noun
 The English word “noun” comes from the
Latin ‘nomen’ meaning ‘name’. The function of
noun is to name someone or something.
 According to Oxford Dictionary (Pearsall,
1999:945), noun is a word used to identify
any of a class of people, places or things, or
to name a particular one of these.
 It can be concluded that noun is a word that
functions to identify someone or something.
WHAT IS A CLAUSE?
Definition of Clause
 A clause is a group of related words. It contains a
subject and a verb (Betty, 1993:346).
 Clause is a group of words that contains a subject
and a verb. it can take the place of different parts
of speech
(http://esl.lbcc.cc.ca.us/eesllessons/nounclauses/nouncl
ause.htm).
 It can be concluded that clause is a group of
words that contains a subject and a verb, which
can take the place of different of speech.
NOUN CLAUSE
Definition of Noun Clause
 A noun clause is a dependent clause and
cannot stand alone as a sentence (Betty
Schrampfer Azar, 1993:346).
 In a noun clause, the full subject and
predicate are retained. The noun clause fills
the same position and serves the same
function as noun (Frank, 1972:283).
 So, it can be concluded that noun clause is a
dependent clause that has function as a
subject, object, or complement.
TYPES OF NOUN CLAUSES
Noun Clauses That Preceded by Question
Words
 Noun clauses that preceded by question words
are usually used to answer a question. The
following examples should better explain this.
Q:Where does Sarik Live?.
A: I don't know where Sarik lives. "Where Sarik
lives" is a noun clause. We can answer this
question without a noun clause by saying the
following. I don't know Sarik's address. The noun
phrase, Sarik's address, replaces with the noun
clause, where Sarik lives.
Noun Clauses That Preceded by Whether or
If
 Noun clauses that preceded by whether or if are
used to answer yes/no type questions. Whether
and if are usually interchangeable. The following
examples should better explain this.
Q:Does Judy own a Honda?
A: I don't know if Judy owns a Honda. "if Judy owns
a Honda" is a noun clause. We could answer this
question without a noun clause by saying the
following. I don't know the answer. In this case, the
noun phrase, the answer, replaces the noun clause,
if Judy owns a Honda.
Noun Clauses That Preceded by That
 Noun clauses that preceded by that are used
to answer questions in which person who is
answering is thinking, giving an opinion, or
using a mental activity verb. The following
examples should better explain this.
 Q: Do you know the location of an ATM?
 I believe that there is an ATM in the
supermarket. "that there is an ATM in the
supermarket" is a noun clause. Most of the
time, native speakers will drop the word that
Syntactic Functions of Noun Clause

As a subject
◦ How he gets the money is his own affair.
◦ Whether (or not) he gets the money doesn’t concern me.
The two groups of italic words are the subject of the sentences above.

As a subject after it
◦ It is well known that coffee grows in Brazil.
The word “that coffee grows in Brazil” is a subject after It in the above sentence.

As an object of verb
◦ I know that coffee grows in Brazil.
◦ I do not know how he will get the money.
The two groups of italic words are the object of verb of the sentences above.

As an object of preposition
◦ We were concerned about how he will get the money.
◦ We talked about what a pretty girl she was.
The words that sign in italic word refer to the object of preposition of the
sentences above.
As a subjective complement
- The question is how he will get the money.
- My understanding is that coffee grows in
Brazil.
The two groups of italic words are the
subjective compliment of the sentences
above.
 As an appositive

◦ His belief that coffee grows in Brazil is correct.
The word “that coffee grows in Brazil” is an
appositive in the sentence above.