I. The Noun-clause

A Noun-clause is subject to all the liabilities and duties of a noun proper. It may therefore be the subject to a verb, the object to a verb, the object to a preposition, the complement of a verb, or in apposition with a noun:

That he will come back soon is certain Subj. to verb.

I shall be glad to know when you will return Obj. to verb.

This will sell for what it is worth Obj. to prep.

This is exactly what I expected Compl. to verb.

The rumour that he is sick is false App. to noun.

Note 1. – From the above examples it will be seen that a Noun-clause can be introduced either by the Conjunction “that” or by a Relative pronoun or by a Relative adverb.

Note 2. – A clause containing the very words used by a speaker is not to be regarded as a Noun-clause but should be treated as a single word or phrase:

All that he said was “I have seen you before”. – Here the italicised clause is the complement to the verb “was”. The whole sentence is regarded as a simple sentence.

Ex.1. Pick out the Noun-clause or clauses in each of the following, and say whether it is the Subject to some verb, or the Object to some verb, or the Object to some preposition, or the Complement to some verb, or in Apposition to some noun expressed. Supply the Conjunction “that” whenever it has been left out:

1. No one knows when he will come, or whether he will come at all, or whether he is even alive.

2. How this came to pass is not known to any one.

3. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

4. It is quite evident rain will fall to-day.

5. The Equator shows where days and nights are of equal length.

6. What is one man’s meat is another man’s poison.

7. You must know that the air is never quite at rest.

8. I think I shall never clearly understand this.

9. We heard the school would open in ten days’ time.

10. The name “Volcano” indicates the belief of the ancient Greeks, that the burning hills of the Mediterranean were the workshops of the divine blacksmith, Vulcan.

11. Even a feather shows which way the wind is blowing.

12. Whatever faculty man has is improved by use.

13. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God”.

14. “Know thyself”, was the advice given us by a Greek sage.

15. He did not know that his father had been shot.

16. The fact that you have not signed your name to a letter shows that you lack moral courage.

17. It will be easily understood how useful even the simplest weapons were to the first dwellers on the earth.

18. The question first occurring to the mind of a savage is how is fire to be made.

19. Common sense soon taught him that fire could be produced by rubbing two sticks together.

20. In chipping their flint weapons men must have seen that fire occasionally flashed out.

21. We learn from travellers that savages can produce fire in a few seconds.

22. He shouted out to the thief, “Leave this house”.

23. We cannot rely on what he says.

24. It is quite evident you have made a mistake.

25. It was very unfortunate that you were taken ill.

26. He was a man of fine-character except that he was rather timid.