Sentence Diagramming: Flashcard 18

A noun clause is a clause that functions as a noun. Noun clauses are used as subjects, predicate nominatives, direct objects, objects of prepositions, adverbial objectives, and appositives. They may be introduced by the expletives that, whether, and if (in the sense of whether); by the interrogative pronouns who, whom, whose, which, and what; by the interrogative adjectives which and what; and by the interrogative adverbs how, when, where, and why. Some noun clauses have no special introductory word or words. Direct statements after verbs of saying and direct questions after verbs of asking are noun clauses enclosed by quotation marks.

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Let’s look first at noun clauses introduced by the expletive that (whether expressed or unexpressed). Examples: (noun clause as a direct object) "He knew that he had forgotten something" (the same sentence can be expressed without that: "He knew he had forgotten something"); (noun clause as a subject) "That they scored so few points is a source of great embarrassment to the team, which prides itself on its potent offense"; (noun clause as an appositive) "Why doesn’t it bother the teacher that most of her students are talking?" (the noun clause is in apposition with the subject it); (noun clause as an adverbial objective) "I’m sorry that we can’t wait that long" (the same sentence can be expressed with an understood that: "I’m sorry we can’t wait that long").

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Many noun clauses are introduced by the expletives whether and if. Here are several examples: (noun clause as a subject) "Whether we succeed or not often depends on how much effort we are willing to expend" (whether or not is a phrasal expletive); (noun clause as a predicate nominative) "The big question was whether it was going to rain." The noun clause whether it was going to rain functions as a predicate nominative; (noun clause as the object of a preposition) "The two brothers disagree about whether the Pope is infallible." 

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Noun clauses can be introduced by interrogative pronouns, interrogative adjectives, and interrogative adverbs. Examples: (noun clause used as a subject) "Who was required to attend the meeting had never been clarified" (who is an interrogative pronoun); (noun clauses as a compound direct object) "They asked what they could do to help and what tools were available" (the first what is an interrogative pronoun, the second an interrogative adjective); (noun clause used as an appositive) "It is amazing how long she can remain under water" (how is an interrogative adverb).

As you make your way through these flashcards, you may wish to refer to a section of my website that deals with terminology, www.german-latin-english.com/diagrammingterms.htm. 
On the right is a diagram of the sentence "It would be a miracle if she realized that he knows when her train will arrive." The sentence contains three noun clauses. The first noun clause (which itself contains two noun clauses) is introduced by the expletive if and functions as an appositive. The second noun clause (which contains a noun clause) is introduced by the expletive that and functions as a direct object. The third noun clause is introduced by the interrogative adverb when and functions as a direct object. So you see that clauses can contain clauses. Even phrases can contain clauses. Here is an example: "The teacher wanted to see what the students had learned." The infinitive phrase to see what the students had learned contains the noun clause what they students had learned. In diagramming, all noun clauses are placed on pedestals. If a noun clause is introduced by an expletive, the expletive sits atop a broken line drawn straight up from the main verb of the noun clause. The top of the pedestal touches the base line of the noun clause at a point under the verb. Flashcard 19: more about prepositional phrases.

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