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Grammatical Functions of English Noun Clauses 

A noun clause is a dependent clause that consists of a subordinating conjunction followed by a clause and that performs a nominal function. Noun clauses perform nine grammatical functions in English grammar:

1. Subject

2. Subject complement

3. irect object

!. "bject complement

#. $ndirect object

%. &repositional complement

'. Adjecti(e phrase complement

).  Noun phrase complement

*. Appositi(e

Subjects

+he first grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the subject. A subject is a word, phrase, or clause that

 performs the action of or acts upon the (erb. -or eample, the following italici/ed noun clauses function as

subjects:

• Whoever ate my lunch is in big trouble.

•  How you will finish all your homework on time is beyond me.

• That the museum cancelled the lecture disappoints me.

•  For you to not graduate from college now is such as shame.

0oth finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as subjects.

Subject Complements

+he second grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the subject complement. A subject complement is a

word, phrase, or clause that follows a copular, or lining, (erb and describes the subject of a clause. +he terms

 predicate nominative and predicate noun are also used for noun clauses that function as subject complements. -or

eample, the following italici/ed noun clauses function as subject complements:

• +he truth was that the moving company lost all your furniture.

• y uestion is whether you will sue the company for losses.

• +he first place winner will be whoever swims the farthest in an hour .

• +hat noise is the baby whimpering in her crib.

0oth finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as subject complements.

Direct Objects

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+he third grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the direct object. A direct object is a word, phrase, orclause that follows a transiti(e (erb and answers the uestion 4who56 or 4what56 recei(es the action of the (erb.

-or eample, the following italici/ed noun clauses function as direct objects:

• +he counselor has been wondering if she chose the right career .

• o you now when the train should arrive5

• "ur dog eats whatever we put in his bowl .

• $ would hate for you to get hurt .

0oth finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as direct objects.

Object Complements

+he fourth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the object complement. "bject complements are

defined as words, phrases, and clauses that directly follow and modify the direct object. -or eample, the followin

italici/ed noun clauses function as object complements:

• 7er grandfather considers his biggest mistae that he did not finish college.

• +he committee has announced the winner whoever wrote the essay on noun clauses.

• 8ou may call your husband whatever you wish.

• +he assessment committee announced the problem us refusing to try new procedures.

Although rare, both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as object complements although nonfinite noun

clauses perform the function infreuently.

Indirect Objects

+he fifth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the indirect object. An indirect object is word, phrase,or clause that indicates to or for whom or what the action of a ditransiti(e (erb is performed. -or eample, the

following italici/ed noun clauses function as indirect objects:

• +he judge will gi(e what you said  some deliberation during her decision.

• +he group has gi(en that most Americans do not support their cause little consideration.

• y parents ga(e that my brother wants his own car  much thought.

• y classmates ga(e me singing the school song  a gold star.

Although rare, both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as direct objects although nonfinite noun clause

again perform the function infreuently.

Prepositional Complements

+he sith grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the prepositional complement. A prepositional

complement is a word, phrase, or clause that directly follows a preposition and completes the meaning of the prepositional phrase. -or eample, the following italici/ed noun clauses function as prepositional complements:

• Some people belie(e in whatever organized religion tells them.

• 9e ha(e been waiting for whoever will pick us up from the party.

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Grammatical Forms of English Adjecties Clauses 

!ore Information " adjecti(e clause, dependent clause, grammatical form, relati(e clause, relati(e pronoun, 

subordinate clauseSimilar to the adjecti(e and adjecti(e phrase in grammatical function, an adjecti(e clause is a dependent or

subordinate clause that consists of a subordinating conjunction, specifically a relati(e pronoun, followed by a clau

and that performs an adjecti(al function. Some grammars use the term relative clause for adjecti(es clauses.

#elatie Pronouns;onjunctions are 4words that lin words, phrases, and clauses.6 A subordinating conjunction is a conjunction that

introduces a subordinate or dependent clause. <elati(e pronouns are both a type of pronoun that tae the place ofanother word, phrase, or clause and a type of subordinating conjunction that introduce adjecti(e, or relati(e,

clauses. +he nine relati(e pronouns in English grammar are:

• who

• whom

• that

• which

• = >null relati(e pronoun?

• whose

•

when• where

• why

$n addition to functioning as subordinators, relati(e pronouns also perform syntactic functions within adjecti(eclauses. Syntactic functions are grammatical functions that relate to other grammatical functions within the synta

or word order, of a sentence. +he se(en syntactic functions that relati(e pronouns perform in English grammar are

1. Subject2. irect object

3. "bject complement

!. $ndirect object#. &repositional complement

%. eterminati(e'. Adjunct ad(erbial

-or eample:

• +he cat that eats special food  has health problems. >subject relati(e pronoun?

• +he soup that my dog devoured  tasted too spicy. >direct object relati(e pronoun?

• +he position that you appointed me comes with a nice pay raise. >object complement relati(e pronoun?

• +he woman that the man bought flowers wors at my office. >indirect object relati(e pronoun?

• Are you going to the party for which I baked a cake5 >prepositional complement relati(e pronoun?

• +he neighbor whose baby my mother watches wors nights at the library. >determinati(e relati(e pronoun?

• Eciting e(ents ne(er happen in the small town where I lived as a child . >adjunct ad(erbial relati(e pronou

-or more information about relati(e pronouns, see +he English <elati(e &ronoun System.

Forming Adjectie Clauses+o form an adjecti(e clause, a relati(e pronoun replaces a word, phrase, or clause within another clause. ;onsider,

for eample, the following sentences:

1. +he boo belongs to the library.2. 8ou stole the boo.

3. +he boo that you stole belongs to the library.

$n the third sentence, the adjecti(e clause is that you stole. +he relati(e pronoun that  replaces the noun phrase thebook , which is the direct object of the clause in the second sentence. +he adjecti(e clause that you stole then

describes the noun phrase the book  from the first sentence to create the third sentence, which consists of an

adjecti(e clause embedded in the main, or (erb, clause.

$sing Adjectie Clauses

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Adjecti(e clauses perform four grammatical functions within sentences in the English language. +he four functionof adjecti(e clauses are:

1.  Noun phrase modifier 

2. @erb phrase modifier 

3. &repositional phrase modifier !.  Noun clause modifier 

-or eample:

• +he map you sent me last week  seems outdated. >noun phrase modifier?

•

+he neighbor whose car you hit  mowed o(er my flowers. >noun phrase modifier?• 7unting tigers, which many people still consider sport , should be outlawed internationally. >(erb phrase

modifier?

• Employees must arri(e between se(en and nine, which is a reasonable time frame. >prepositional phrase

modifier?

• +hat the museum cancelled the lecture, which is uite surprising , disappoints me. >noun clause modifier?

-or more information about the grammatical functions of adjecti(e clauses, see rammatical -unctions of EnglishAdjecti(e ;lauses.

Adjecti(e clauses are dependent or subordinate clauses that consist of a subordinating conjunction, specifically a

relati(e pronoun, followed by a clause. Adjecti(e clauses perform four adjecti(al functions: noun phrase modifier,

(erb phrase modifier, prepositional phrase modifier, and noun clause modifier.

Grammatical Functions of English Adjectie Clauses

Adjecti(e clauses are dependent clauses that consists of a relati(e pronoun followed by a clause and that perform

adjecti(al functions. Adjecti(e clauses perform four grammatical functions within sentences in the English

language. +he four functions of adjecti(e clauses are:

1.  Noun phrase modifier 

2. @erb phrase modifier 

3. &repositional phrase modifier 

!. Noun clause modifier 

Some grammars use the term relative clause for adjecti(e clauses.

Adjectie Clauses as Noun Phrase !odifiers

+he first grammatical function that adjecti(e clauses perform is the noun phrase modifier. A noun phrase modifier

a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or describes a noun including a pronoun or a noun phrase. -or eample, the

following italici/ed adjecti(e clauses function as noun phrase modifiers:

• 7arry &otter is the boy who lived .

• +he map you sent me last week  seems outdated.

• +he cooies, which I promptly devoured , reminded me of home.

• y aunt is the woman to whom you should have emailed the instructions.

• A boo that you ordered through interlibrary loan arri(ed this morning.

•

+he neighbor whose petunias you ran over with the lawn mower  called the cops on you.

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Adjecti(e clauses most freuently function as noun phrase modifiers.

Adjectie Clauses as %erb Phrase !odifiers

+he second grammatical function that adjecti(e clauses perform is the (erb phrase modifier. A (erb phrase modifie

is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or describes a (erb phrase. Adjecti(e clauses modify only (erb phrases in

the form of present participles performing nominal functions. "nly which adjecti(e clauses function as (erb phras

modifiers. -or eample, the following italici/ed adjecti(e clauses function as (erb phrase modifiers:

• <eading, which is one of my favorite past times, eeps the mind sharp.

• 9ashing the windows, which still needs completed , occurs e(ery 9ednesday morning.

• $ enjoy writing about language, which I do almost every single day.

• 7unting tigers, which many people still consider sport , should be outlawed internationally.

• +he hardest part about learning grammar, which I thoroughly enjoy, is memori/ing all the rules.

• espite our missing the train, which happened because of a traffic jam, we arri(ed on time.

Adjectie Clauses as Prepositional Phrase !odifiers

+he third grammatical function that adjecti(e clauses perform is the prepositional phrase modifier. A prepositional

 phrase modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or describes a prepositional phrase. Adjecti(e clauses

modify only prepositional phrases performing nominal functions. "nly which adjecti(e clauses function as

 prepositional phrase modifiers. -or eample, the following italici/ed adjecti(e clauses function as prepositional

 phrase modifiers:

• 0ehind the machine shed, which is overgrown with weeds, needs mowed.

• 0etween se(en and nine, which is a reasonable time frame, is when employees must arri(e.

• $n the closest, which is uite dark , is rather scary.

• After si, which is usually also after dinner , is a good time to call.

• 8ou must clean under the bed, which is covered with dust bunnies.

• 7is brother is painting along the ceiling, which is ragged and uneven.

Adjecti(e clauses rarely function as prepositional phrase modifiers because prepositional phrases rarely perform

nominal functions.

Adjectie Clauses as Noun Clause !odifiers

+he fourth grammatical function that adjecti(e clauses perform is the noun clause modifier. A noun clause modifie

is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or describes a noun clause. "nly which adjecti(e clauses function as nou

clause modifiers. -or eample, the following italici/ed adjecti(e clauses function as noun clause modifiers:

• +hat the museum cancelled the lecture, which is uite surprising , disappoints me.

• -or you to not graduate from college now, which would be such as shame, is out of the uestion.

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• +hat she wored hard for the whole term, which still amazes me, pleased her parents.

• 7ow the clouds drifted on that Buly afternoon, which still makes me smile, may ne(er happen again.

• o you now when the train should arri(e, which is something I should know5

• +he assessment committee announced the problem us refusing to try new procedures, which is an ongoing

challenge.

+he four grammatical functions of adjecti(e clauses in English grammar are noun phrase modifier, (erb phrase

modifier, prepositional phrase modifier, and noun clause modifier.