Noun Clauses

Noun clauses describe something about the verb or the sentence. We use who, what, which, whose, whoever, whatever, when, where, why, whether, how and that in noun clauses.

Do you know what the teacher said?
We don't know who they are.
Do you know what the time is?
Mia told him that she would go out.


Noun clauses as a direct object:

She knows what my name is.
I noticed where they were going.


Noun clauses as a subject:

What she is doing is not known.
What you said is not clear.
Where she lives is not considered.


Noun clauses as an indirect object:

I will give whoever gets the best mark a new calculator.
Martha will give whoever she sees there her old bag.

Noun clauses after linking verbs be, become, seem, look.

The taste of the soup wasn't as we expected.
That is not what they want.
You look what you claim to be.
She seems as if she is a poor woman.
You looked as if you made a mistake.

Quick Exercise

Combine the following sentences using noun clauses.