Noun Clauses
    A noun clause contains a subject and a verb.  Like adjective clause and the adverbial clause, it can not stand by itself as a sentence.  It must be a part of a complete sentence taking the place a noun.

Words that begin a noun clause
That                                    who                                            whomever

what                                    whoever

whatever                            whom

    Since noun clauses take the place of nouns in sentences, a noun clause can perform any of the four functions a single noun can perform.  A noun clause can be the subject of a sentence, a direct object,  a predicate noun, or the object of a preposition.

Examples
What you now see is a painting by Vincent Van Gogh.

    This noun clause acts as the subject of the sentence.

    In this noun clause, what is the direct object, you is the subject, and see is the verb making the clause transitive active or pattern #1.

    Can you create a noun clause that is pattern #2 and also the subject of a sentence?

    A pattern #3, #4, and #5?

Now I understand what must be done.

    This noun clause acts as the direct object in the sentence.  In other words, what must be done answers the question of what is understood.

    In this noun clause what is the subject, be is the helping verb, and done is the active verb which transfers its action back to the subject.  This clause, then, is pattern #2.

    Make other the other patterns into noun clauses that act as direct objects.

Mr. Jones is valuable for what he knows about history.

    This noun clause acts as the object of the preposition for.

    In this clause, he is the subject, knows is the action verb, and what is the direct object so this noun clause is pattern #1 or transitive active.  About history is, of course, a prepositional phrase that should be eliminated when trying to analyze.

    Try making other patterns into noun clauses that act as objects of prepositions.

What you see is what you get.

    This noun clause acts as a predicate noun.

    In this clause, what is the direct object, you is the subject, and get is the action verb making this transitive active or pattern #1.

Ready to move on?
What we suggest is that you move to participial phrases.  Click here to move to participial phrases.  If you need more review, return to menu.