Skill 9: USE NOUN CLAUSE CONNECTORS CORRECTLY
A noun clause is a clause that functions as a noun; because the noun clause is a noun, it is used in a sentence as either an object of a verb, an object of a preposition, or the subject of the sentence.
I know when he will arrive.
(… “when he will arrive” is NOUN CLAUSE AS OBJECT OF VERB)
I am concerned about when he will arrive.
(… “when he will arrive” is NOUN CLAUSE AS OBJECT OF PREPOSITION)
he will arrive is not important.
(“he will arrive”… is NOUN CLAUSE AS SUBJECT)
In the first example there are two clauses, I know and he will arrive. These two clauses are joined with the connector “when”. “When” changes the clause “he will arrive” into a noun clause that functions as the object of the verb ‘know’.
The third example is more difficult. In this example there are two clauses, but they are a little harder to recognize. “He will arrive” is one of the clauses, and the connector “when” changes it into a noun clause that functions as the subject of the sentence. The other clause has the noun clause “when he will arrive” as its subject and “is” as its verb.
Example:
_____ was late caused many problems.
(A) That he
(B) The driver
(C) There
(D) Because
In this example there are two verbs, “was” and “caused”, and each of these verbs needs a subject. Answer (B) is wrong because the driver is one subject, and two subjects are needed. Answers (C) and (D) are incorrect because there and because are not subjects. The best answer is answer (A). If you choose answer (A), the completed sentence would be: “That he was late caused many problems”. In this sentence “he” is the subject of the verb “was”, and the noun clause “that he was late” is the subject of the verb “caused”.
Video Pembahasan
