 Learning English. How to use noun clauses. Noun clauses, what in the world are they? You've probably heard of Santa Claus, relative clauses, main clauses, and subordinating clauses. Noun clauses, like Santa Claus, can be the driver of a sentence. They can bring nice things, or add extra weight to the sentence. Let's find out how they work. Noun clauses can be a little complicated. Today I want you to think of me as a mechanic, who is trying to help you fix your grammar. For a car to work, you need a driver, an engine, and a few other parts. It always helps to know the names of the parts. In this case, some of these parts are called subjects, verbs, objects, and noun clauses. Noun clauses are quite complex. This video will help you understand how to make and use them in English. Think of noun clauses as something in a sentence. For example, George eats something. George eats what? George eats a sandwich. In this case, a sandwich is a noun, and it functions as the object of the sentence. George eats whatever he wants. Whatever he wants is a group of words called a noun clause, which tells what George eats. Noun clauses can provide more information about subjects and objects in sentences. Noun clauses consist of a subject and a verb, and an extra word. The extra word can be who, what, when, where, why, how, which, whatever, whoever, however, whichever, whether, if, or that. The extra word always comes at the beginning of the noun clause. Now don't get these confused. Sometimes we use these words for questions. That's not what we're doing here. Sometimes the subject and extra word are merged together. For example, George eats something. Something is the object. George eats whatever he wants. Whatever he wants is a group of words that functions as the object of what George eats. This is called the noun clause. Now let's break it down into the three parts. George eats whatever he wants. Whatever is the extra word, he is the subject, once is the verb. Let's look at the next example. George eats whatever is available. In this case, we're merging or mixing the extra word and the subject. Whatever serves two purposes. The extra word is the subject of the noun clause. Is is the verb. Available just completes the noun clause. In this case, available is an adjective, but you can use other words in that position as well. The extra word is like a signal that tells us that a noun clause is coming. Sometimes words like how much, how many, how long, how old can also be used. Noun clauses follow the subject verb pattern. They are not questions. For example, she wants something. This is not a question. I know what she wants. This follows the noun clause order, subject verb pattern. I know what does she want. No, that's incorrect. We are not asking a question. We are giving the answer with a noun clause. For example, what does she want? That's a real question. It follows the question word order. I don't know the answer. The answer is something that I don't know. I don't know what she wants. It follows the noun clause order. Extra word, what, she, subject, wants, verb. Let's look at a few more examples. Frank said something. Frank said that he was sick. The extra word comes at the beginning, that, followed by the subject, he, and was, the verb, sick completes the noun clause. In this case, it's just an adjective. I know something. I know what her name is. Extra word, what, her name, subject, is verb. I forgot something. I forgot where I put the keys. Start with the extra word where subject, I, verb, put, the keys, in this case, is an object of the noun clause. We don't know something. We don't know if she will go or not. Extra word, if, she, is the subject, will go, is the verb. I don't remember something. I don't remember why she was here. The extra word is why. It signals the beginning of the noun clause. She is the subject, was is the verb. Here is just an adverb. That completes the noun clause. Sometimes the noun clause comes at the beginning of the sentence. For example, something is on the table. Whatever she left is on the table. Again, we follow the pattern. Extra word, subject, verb. Whatever she left is on the table. The noun clause serves as the subject of the sentence. Let's look at some more examples. Something is being recorded. Whatever you say is being recorded, or what you say is being recorded. Can you see the pattern here? Extra word, subject, verb. It comes at the beginning of the sentence in this case. Someone is still in the building. Whoever committed the crime is still in the building. We have a merger of the subject and the extra word followed by the verb and then an object. In this case, it's the crime. Serving is the subject of the sentence. Something or someone is still in the building. Somewhere remains a mystery. Where he is remains a mystery. Extra word, where, subject, he, verb, is. That's the noun clause, which is part of the full sentence, which is something remains or somewhere remains a mystery. We can also say where he is is a mystery. You need to know how to divide it, the noun clause and the rest of the sentence. Please don't get confused when you see two verbs next to each other like this. It looks strange, but it is actually correct. One is part of the noun clause. The other is the main verb of the whole sentence. Identify the subject, verb, and extra word or words in each of the noun clauses. For example, we'll do the first one together. I like how you play the violin. How you play the violin, that whole thing, is the noun clause. Let's start with the extra word. The extra word is in blue. How? The subject is in green. You. The verb is in red. And then the violin is just the object, which is just more information at the end of the noun clause. Number two, I don't know when she will be back. You try it. I used colors, but you can use whatever method you'd like to explain the different parts of the noun clause when she will be back. Okay, take a moment or a few minutes and do these exercises with your teacher or classmates or by yourself. Okay, feel free to pause the video if you'd like more time for the exercise. Let's continue. Identify the subject, verb, and extra words in each of the noun clauses. Number one, I like how you play the violin. We use colors to explain that. Number two, I don't know when she will be back. When is the extra word she is the subject will be is the verb. Number three, they forgot what they did in California. What is the extra word they is the subject did is the verb. In California it's just a prepositional phrase. We found what you were looking for. What is the extra word you is the subject were looking is the verb. I claim whatever is in that box. In this case the subject and the extra word are merged together in the word whatever. The verb is is and in that box is a prepositional phrase that completes the noun clause. What or whatever they did is a secret. This comes at the beginning of the sentence. The extra word is what or whatever. The subject is they did is the verb. Whoever or who is the extra word in this case. She is the subject loves is the verb. I'm not sure whether they will be here or not. Whether is the extra word they is the subject will be is the verb. We estimated how many people would be at the party. How many is the extra word or are the extra words in this case. People the subject would be the verb at the parties is the prepositional phrase. How do we know when to merge the extra word in the noun clause. Let's look at some examples. Pam eats something. This follows the subject verb object pattern. Pam eats what. Pam eats whatever she likes. This is the noun clause. Pam eats the object of her preference. Preference she likes what. Something is on the table. Pam eats whatever is on the table. In this case we're going to merge the subject and the extra word together. Pam eats the subject of what is on the table. Let's look at some more examples. Whatever Pam likes is on the table. Whatever is on the table Pam likes. Merge this. Whatever is on the table is what Pam likes. In this case we have two noun clauses. One at the beginning and one at the end of the sentence. Merge the extra word and the subject when it serves as the subject of the noun clause. Let's look at the examples above to see how that works. Can you use noun clauses in questions? Yes, but keep the noun clause order intact. For example, is this what you were looking for? Do you know what Sally wants for her birthday? Can you tell me where he is? Don't you care about what she does? In this case we left the full noun clause in purple, but you can also divide it up into its component parts. Reducing noun clauses. Sometimes we can reduce the wording of noun clauses. We usually drop the subject and use the infinitive to plus verb. For example, I don't know the answer. I don't know what should I do. That's incorrect. I don't know what I should do. That's correct using a noun clause. I don't know what to do. In this case we are reducing the noun clause. Can you tell me where I should go? That's a regular noun clause. Can you tell me where to go? That's a reduced noun clause. Showtime. Tell whether the following are correct or incorrect. Feel free to pause the video and take as much time as you would like for this exercise. Here are the answers. I really don't know where my sister is. Correct. They told him what should he do. That's incorrect. What he should do. What you do is up to you. That's correct. I wonder where did she go? Incorrect. It should be I wonder where she went. Can you tell me what does he want? Incorrect. Can you tell me what he wants? I watch whatever is on TV at the time. Correct. Whoever hit my car is in deep trouble. Correct. Whether you go or not is your business. Correct. He doesn't know how much does the car cost. Incorrect. It should be how much the car costs. Mary likes whichever movie star Jill likes. Correct. Hope that was helpful. Remember to give us a thumbs up if you liked this video and don't forget to subscribe to our channel. Thanks for watching. If you have questions, please submit them to us in the comments section or at the link below. eslgold.com slash submit question. This video is sponsored by the following English learning websites.