Sabtu, 14 Mei 2011

noun clauses

NOUN CLAUSES

A noun clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb; however, it cannot stand alone as a sentence.

e.g.   What you think does not matter.

A noun clause can be used as the subject or the object in the following forms:

e.g. What you think does not matter.
In this example, the noun clause is the subject of the sentence.

e.g. I don’t know what she thinks.
In this example, the noun clause is the object of the sentence.

A       Noun clauses can begin with …
1.     … a question word:
        where he lives
        what one says
        who the man is
        how she survives

2.     … “whether” or “if”
        whether she will stay
        if she will stay

3.     … a question word + TO infinitive
        what to say
        where to meet

4.     … “that
        that he is innocent
        that she knows three languages

e.g. That she worked hard for the whole term pleased her parents.
In this example, the whole that-clause is the subject of the sentence.

Instead of “that” we can also use the belief that, the fact that, the idea that, the evidence that.
e.g. The fact that the economic growth rate is lower than the population growth rate causes problems.

e.g. The idea that the teacher should dominate in the classroom is unacceptable. 

However, if the subject is too long, it may be difficult for the reader to understand the sentence. To solve this problem, we use the introductory “it”, which takes the position of the subject in the sentence and signals that a noun clause is to follow.

e.g.   Instead of
That she worked hard for the whole term pleased her parents.
we can write
It pleased her parents that she worked hard for the whole term.

Note that this pattern can be used only with “that” but not with “the idea that / the fact that”.

B       Using subjunctive in noun clauses
       
A subjunctive verb is the simple form of a verb. Sentences with subjunctive verbs generally stress importance or urgency.
e.g. I suggest (that) he see a doctor.

Negative form: not + simple form of the verb
e.g. I recommend that she not go to that movie.

Passive form: simple form of BE + past participle
e.g. It is essential that children be told the truth.

When the main verb of the sentence is in past form, the verb in the noun clause is also in past form.
e.g. I suggested that he saw a doctor.

Common verbs and expressions followed by the subjunctive in a noun clause:

advise, ask, demand, insist, propose, recommend, request, suggest

+  that + noun clause


essential, imperative, important, critical, necessary, vital


It is  +  that + noun clause





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