NOUN CLAUSES

NOUN CLAUSES AND EMBEDDED QUESTIONS

Noun clauses and embedded questions are important grammatical structures in English that are used to express ideas and information in a variety of contexts. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at what they are and how they're used.

Noun Clauses:

A noun clause is a type of subordinate clause that functions as a noun within a sentence. It can serve as the subject, object, or complement of the sentence. Noun clauses are introduced by words such as "that", "whether", "if", and "wh-" words such as "who", "what", "when", "where", "why", and "how".

Here are some examples of noun clauses:

• "I believe that he will come to the party." (subject)
• "She told me what she had for breakfast." (object)
• "My goal is to learn how to speak Spanish fluently." (complement)

In each of these sentences, the noun clause is acting as a noun, filling the role of subject, object, or complement.

Embedded Questions:

Embedded questions are similar to noun clauses in that they function as a noun within a sentence. However, embedded questions are formed by embedding a question within a sentence, rather than using a word like "that" or "whether" to introduce the clause.

Here are some examples of embedded questions:

• "Do you know where the library is?" (embedded question acting as the object of the sentence)
• "I'm not sure when the concert starts." (embedded question acting as the complement of the sentence)
• "She asked me how I was feeling." (embedded question acting as the object of the sentence)

In each of these sentences, the embedded question is acting as a noun, filling the role of object or complement. 

It's important to note that the word order in an embedded question is different from that of a regular question. In an embedded question, the subject comes before the verb and there is no question word at the beginning of the sentence.

In conclusion, noun clauses and embedded questions are important grammatical structures in English that allow speakers and writers to express ideas and information in a variety of contexts. Whether you're using a noun clause as the subject of a sentence or an embedded question as the complement, these structures can help you convey your message clearly and effectively.