Dependent Clause - Noun Clause

Noun Clause

A noun clause can be used like a noun. It can be a subject, predicate nominative, direct object, appositive, indirect object, or object of the preposition. Some of the English words that introduce noun clauses are that, whether, who, why, whom, what, how, when, whoever, where, and whomever. Notice that some of these words also introduce adjective and adverbial clauses. A clause is a noun clause if a pronoun (he, she, it, or they) could be substituted for it.

Examples:

• I know who said that. (I know it.) (The dependent clause serves as the object of the main-clause verb "know".)
• Whoever made that assertion is wrong. (He/she is wrong.) (The dependent clause serves as the subject of the main clause.)

Sometimes in English a noun clause is used without the introductory word.

Example:

• I know that he is here.
• I know he is here. (without "that")

In some cases, use of the introductory word, though grammatically correct, may sound cumbersome in English, and the introductory word may be omitted.

Example:

• I think that it is pretty. (less common)
• I think it is pretty. (more common)