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That-Clause: I Believe That Everything Happens For A Reason. Wh-Clause: How Do I Know What I Think, Until I See What I Say

In English grammar, a nominal clause functions as a noun within a sentence. The two main types are that-clauses and wh-clauses. Nominal clauses can serve various nominal roles such as subject, direct object, or object of a preposition. They are formed with an interrogative word like who, what, when or the word "that". Nominal clauses perform nominal functions and can often be replaced with a pronoun.

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169 views4 pages

That-Clause: I Believe That Everything Happens For A Reason. Wh-Clause: How Do I Know What I Think, Until I See What I Say

In English grammar, a nominal clause functions as a noun within a sentence. The two main types are that-clauses and wh-clauses. Nominal clauses can serve various nominal roles such as subject, direct object, or object of a preposition. They are formed with an interrogative word like who, what, when or the word "that". Nominal clauses perform nominal functions and can often be replaced with a pronoun.

Uploaded by

Mohammed Gallawi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Nominal Clauses

In English grammar, a noun clause is a dependent clause that functions as


a noun (that is, as a subject, object, or complement) within a sentence. Also known
as a nominal clause.

Two common types of noun clause in English are that-clauses and wh-clauses:

 That-clause: I believe that everything happens for a reason.


 Wh-clause: How do I know what I think, until I see what I say

Nominal clauses are formed when an interrogative or nominal-that introduces a


clause by serving as the subject of the clause or preceding the clause in order to
serve a noun role in another structure. In short, Nominal Clauses can serve any
nominal role: subject, direct object, subject complement, object of the preposition,
object complement, indirect object, adjective complement, or appositive.

1- Wh\interrogative clause
The first nominal clause form is an interrogative clause, which is a dependent
clause beginning with an interrogative.

 Whoever borrowed my iPad is in big trouble.


 I know when the train will arrive.
 The mediator will give what you said full consideration before negotiating
the deal.
The most common interrogatives are who, whom, whose, which, where,
when, and why.
2- That-clause
The second nominal clause form is a that-clause, which is a dependent clause with
the expletive that preceding the subject and serves a nominal function.
NOTE: there are plenty of cases where that, as part of that-clause, may be deleted.
 The truth was that the moving company lost all your furniture.
 The truth was the moving company lost all your furniture.
So whenever you see a clause following immediately after, especially, a Main Verb
Phrase without a dependent clause marker or punctuation, you should suspect a
deleted that.

The functions of nominal clauses


Nominal clauses perform nominal functions; in other words, they can do anything
that a noun can do.

Subject

 Whoever ate my lunch is in big trouble.


 That she is still alive is a consolation.
Subject complement

 The truth was that the home team came back from a 30-point halftime
deficit.
 The problem is not who will go , but who will stay
Direct object

 I know when the train will arrive.


 I know that he was wrong
Adjective complement

 I am pleased that you are studying noun clauses.


 I wasn’t certain whose house I was in.
Appositive

 That man, whoever he is, tried to steal some library books.


 Your assumption, that things will improve, is unfounded.

Prepositional complement
Wh- interrogative clause can act as Prepositional complement
 No one was consulted on who should have the prize.

How to Check If Your Clause Is Functioning As a Noun


A great way to check whether a phrase or clause is functioning as a noun is to have
a go at replacing it with a pronoun. If you can, your phrase or clause is functioning
as a noun.

 What I say is true.


(Pronoun test: "It is true." This proves that "What I say" is functioning as a
noun.)

 Show me how they work.


(Pronoun test: "Show me them." This proves that "how they work" is
functioning as a noun.)
NOMINAL CLAUSE PRACTICE EXERCISE

Analyze the following passage for nominal clauses.

What was left of Margot's mind reeled. She could hear the listless, scraping sounds
of fingertips against the door. It haunted her to consider that a sea of faces lurked
outside. They were faces she once knew in a different light, but now they were
putrid reflections of squalor and decay. There was only what she could glean from
their lifeless eyes: the grim reminder that she was alone. She tried to ignore what
appeared before her, but she truly believed she was the last bastion of humanity.
Death awaited her outside.

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