lesson 27: dependent clauses (noun)...here are the steps that i use when diagramming noun clauses....

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LESSON 27: DEPENDENT CLAUSES (NOUN) Relevant Review

• Clauses are groups of words that have a subject and a verb.

o Independent clauses (main clauses) express complete thoughts.

o Dependent clauses (subordinate clauses) don’t express complete thoughts.

§ Dependent clauses function as one part of speech. They can act as adverbs, nouns, or adjectives.

§ Adverb clauses are a type of dependent clause that act as adverbs.

• Nouns name people, places, things or ideas. They can perform many jobs in a sentence.

o subject, direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition, predicate noun

Lesson

In the last lesson, you learned about dependent clauses that act as adverbs. In this lesson, you’ll learn about dependent clauses that act as nouns. For short, we call these noun clauses.

They Act As One Part of Speech (Nouns)

I knew the answer.

Answer is a one-word noun acting as the direct object of the verb. It's performing one of the noun jobs. WHAT did I know? I knew the answer.

I knew that the students would learn.

That the students would learn is now acting as the direct object of the verb. It is performing one of the noun jobs. WHAT did I know? I knew that the students would learn.

That the students would learn has a subject (students), and a verb (would learn), and it can't stand alone.

That must mean that it is a dependent clause acting as a noun!

The Noun Jobs

Do you still remember the noun jobs that we studied? I hope so!

The following chart shows you examples of words and noun clauses acting as each of the noun jobs that you've studied.

Notice that each noun clause has a subject and a verb, it acts as a noun, and it can't stand alone.

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Noun Job Example: Noun (Word) Example: Noun Clause

Subject

Pizza is fine.

Whatever you want is fine.

Direct Object

Can you tell me the time?

Can you tell me when it's time for dinner?

Indirect Object

I will give the first student an A.

I will give whoever finishes first

an A.

Object of the Preposition

I asked about Tom.

I asked about why Tom ate six

peppers.

Predicate Noun

Happiness is pie.

Happiness is whatever you just

cooked.

Noun of Direct

Address

John, save me!

Whoever is reading this,

save me!

Words That Introduce Noun Clauses

Noun clauses may be introduced by the following words. You can call these words noun clause markers.

that, if, whether, who, whom, whose, which, what, when, where, how,

why, whoever, whenever, whatever, wherever, however, whichever, whomever

These words often perform a job within the noun clause.


When is introducing this noun clause. It is also acting as an adverb in the noun clause.


Whatever is introducing this noun clause. It is also acting as the direct object of want within the noun clause.

Sometimes, these words have no other function in the sentence except to introduce the noun clause. You won't be diagramming any like this, but I thought you still might like to see an example.

My mother knows that I love the library.


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That is introducing this noun clause. It has no other function in the sentence. It is just telling us that a noun clause is coming.

When the word introducing the noun clause has no other function in the clause, we call it an expletive.

It's also possible for a noun clause to have no introductory or "marker" word.

My mother knows I love the library.

That makes things a little bit trickier, doesn't it? We won't be diagramming these right now either, but I thought you might like to know that they exist.

Diagramming Noun Clauses

Noun clauses can do anything that nouns can do. This means that they can be diagrammed in any of the spaces that nouns are diagrammed.

Before you diagram a noun clause, decide what its function is in the sentence.

When you know what job the noun clause is performing in the main clause, diagram it on the appropriate spot in the independent clause's sentence diagram.

Connect the noun clause to the main clause with a little forked line.

Helpful Hints

It might take you a little while to get the hang of diagramming these. That makes sense because they can do so many things. Don't worry!

Here are the steps that I use when diagramming noun clauses.

1. Identify the noun clause. (Look for a group of words that includes a subject and a verb and that functions as a single unit – a noun.)

2. Identify the noun clause's role in the sentence.

3. Diagram the independent clause first and be sure to leave room for your noun clause diagram.

4. Diagram the noun clause in the space that you left.


Noun Job Example: Noun (Word) Example: Noun Clause

Subject

Pizza is fine.


Direct Object

Can you tell me the time?


Indirect Object

I will give the first student an A.

I will give whoever finishes first an A.

Object of

the Preposition

I asked about Tom.

I asked about why Tom ate six peppers.

Predicate

Noun

Happiness is pie.

Happiness is whatever you just cooked.

Noun of Direct

Address

John, save me!

Whoever is reading this, save me!


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Lesson 27 Sentence Diagramming Exercises

1. Whoever cut the grass did a great job.

Hint: The noun clause is the subject.

Key

Whoever cut the grass did a great job. sentence - statement

(Whoever cut the grass) did a great job.* independent clause

Whoever cut the grass dependent noun clause acting as subject of independent clause

Whoever word introducing noun clause, subject of noun clause (pronoun)

cut verb of noun clause (transitive active)

grass direct object of noun clause (noun)

the adjective in noun clause

did verb of independent clause (transitive active)

job direct object of independent clause (noun)

a, great adjectives in independent clause

* Notice that noun clauses are often necessary parts of the independent clause. Strange!


2. Do you know who read this book?

Hint: The noun clause is the direct object.

Key

Do you know who read this book? sentence - question

You do know who read this book. sentence - statement

Do you know (who read this book)? independent clause

you subject (independent clause) (pronoun)

Do know verb phrase (independent clause)

Do helping verb (independent clause)

know main verb (independent clause) (transitive active)

who read this book dependent noun clause acting as direct object of independent clause (noun)

who word introducing noun clause, subject of noun clause (pronoun)

read verb of noun clause (transitive active)

book direct object of noun clause (noun)

this adjective in noun clause


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3. I tripped on whatever was sitting on the floor.

Hint: The noun clause is the object of the preposition.

Key

I tripped on whatever was sitting on the floor.

sentence - statement

I tripped on (whatever was sitting on the floor)

independent clause

I subject of independent clause (pronoun)

tripped verb of independent clause (intransitive complete)

on whatever was sitting on the floor prepositional phrase in independent clause (adverb)

on preposition of independent clause

whatever was sitting on the floor dependent noun clause acting as object of the preposition of the independent clause (noun)

whatever word introducing noun clause, subject of noun clause (pronoun)

was sitting verb phrase of noun clause

was helping verb of noun clause

sitting main verb of noun clause (intransitive complete)

on the floor prepositional phrase in noun clause (adverb)

on preposition

floor object of the preposition (noun)

the adjective


4. This pasta is what you ordered.

Hint: The noun clause is the predicate noun.

Key

This pasta is what you ordered. sentence - statement

This pasta is (what you ordered). independent clause

pasta subject of independent clause (noun)

This adjective

is verb of independent clause (intransitive linking)

what you ordered dependent noun clause acting as predicate noun of independent clause (noun)

you subject of noun clause (pronoun)

ordered verb of noun clause (transitive active)

what word introducing noun clause, direct object of noun clause (pronoun)

Tip

The typical pattern for sentences is SUBJECT + VERB (+ DIRECT OBJECT), but dependent clauses are often written in a different order.

This pasta is what you ordered.

In this noun clause, the pattern is DIRECT OBJECT + SUBJECT + VERB. It seems strange when we reword it as SUBJECT + VERB + DIRECT OBJECT (you ordered what), but it's true.

Think about each word's role in the clause. Does it make sense to you that you is the subject and what is the direct object?


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5. What we have for dinner is your decision.

Hint: The noun clause is the subject.

There is that strange word order again!

Key

What we have for dinner is your decision. sentence - statement

(What we have for dinner) is your decision. independent clause

What we have for dinner noun clause acting as subject of independent clause (noun)

we subject of noun clause (pronoun)

have verb (transitive active) (of noun clause)

What word introducing noun clause, direct object of noun clause (pronoun)

for dinner prepositional phrase in noun clause (adverb)

for preposition

dinner object of the preposition (noun)

is verb of independent clause (intransitive linking)

decision predicate noun of independent clause (noun)

your adjective in independent clause


Extra Practice: Diagramming Noun Clauses Directions: Diagram the following sentences on a separate sheet of paper. Teachers, the answers are on the next page.

1. I know where we are going.

2. Whoever wins the race wins the golden trophy.

3. I’ll give whoever finishes the race a medal.

4. Give the referee whatever he asks for.

5. Do you know what he wants?


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Lesson 27 Extra Practice Answers

Diagramming Noun Clauses

1. I know where we are going.

2. Whoever wins the race wins the golden trophy

3. I’ll give whoever finishes the race a medal.

4. Give the referee whatever he asks for.

5. Do you know what he wants?

lesson 27: dependent clauses (noun)...here are the steps that i use when diagramming noun clauses....

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