Chapter 12: NOUN CLAUSES: Whether or If

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Chapter 12: NOUN CLAUSES

ORDER OF CHAPTER CHARTS EXERCISES WORKBOOK

Introduction 12-1 Ex. 1

Noun clauses beginning with


a question word 12-2 Ex. 2 ¡ 6 Pr. 1 ¡ 5

Noun clauses beginning with


whether or if 12-3 Ex. 7 ¡ 8 Pr. 6

Review Ex. 9

Question words followed by


infinitives 12-4 Ex. 10 Pr. 7

Noun clauses beginning with that 12-5 Ex. 11 ¡ 16 Pr. 8 ¡ 9

Quoted speech 12-6 Ex. 17 ¡ 20 Pr. 10

Reported speech: verb forms in


noun clauses 12-7 Ex. 21 ¡ 25 Pr. 11 ¡ 13

Cumulative review Ex. 26 ¡ 34

Using the subjunctive in noun


clauses 12-8 Ex. 35 ¡ 36 Pr. 14

Using -ever words 12-9 Ex. 37 Pr. 15

Cumulative review Pr. 16 ¡ 17

General Notes on Chapter 12


• OBJECTIVE: One of the most common uses of conversation and writing is to report
what was said by someone else. Another very common use is to express an opinion about,
or reaction to, some situation. Therefore, speakers begin many sentences with “he/she/they
said” and “I think” (or their equivalents) followed by a noun clause. Learners should pay
special attention in this chapter to the order of words in a noun clause.

114 CHAPTER 12, Noun Clauses


• APPROACH: The chapter focuses attention on the words that introduce noun clauses. It
begins by focusing on the use of question words and the confusing similarity between noun
clauses and questions. The students transform questions into noun clauses. Then many of
the variations in the use of that-clauses are presented. Next, the students learn to punctuate
quoted speech, and then to make adjustments in verb forms and pronouns as they change
quotes into reported speech. Added to the end of the chapter are two short sections, one on
the subjunctive in noun clauses and one on words such as whatever, whoever, whenever, etc.
• TERMINOLOGY: Noun clauses are referred to variously as “embedded sentences,
embedded questions, indirect speech, nominal clauses,” or certain kinds of complements.
Words used to introduce noun clauses are labeled “conjunctions” in most dictionaries. Quoted
and reported speech is also called “direct and indirect address/speech/discourse.” Question
words are also called “Wh-words” or “interrogatives (interrogative pronouns, interrogative
adjectives, interrogative adverbs).” Information questions are also called “Wh-questions.”

CHARTS 12-1 and 12-2: NOUN CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH


A QUESTION WORD

• It is often useful to substitute the pronoun “something” in the place of noun clauses. Then
students replace this pronoun with a clause. For example:
Something was interesting.

I heard something.
What he said was interesting.

I heard what he said.


• The main problem for most learners is word order. Also, they may try to use do or did, as in
a question.

䡺 EXERCISE 1, p. 240. Noun clauses. (Chart 12-1)


Give students a few silent moments to add the necessary marks. Then lead a discussion of
their answers, giving special attention to groups of related items (items 3–5, 6–7, and 8–12).
ANSWERS: [The noun clauses are underlined.] 3. Where did Tom go? No one knows.
4. No one knows where Tom went. 5. Where Tom went is a secret. 6. What does
Anna want? We need to know. 7. We need to know what Anna wants. 8. What
does Alex need? Do you know? 9. Do you know what Alex needs? 10. What Alex
needs is a new job. 11. We talked about what Alex needs. 12. What do you need?
Did you talk to your parents about what you need?

䡺 EXERCISE 2, p. 241. Noun clauses beginning with a question word. (Chart 12-2)
Ask students to write the complete sentences on the chalkboard, then use these to identify
the noun clauses, discuss their grammatical function in the sentence, and label the subjects
and verbs in both the independent and dependent clauses.
Be sure students read and say the complete sentence, not only the noun clause, so they
see/hear the whole context.
If your students have difficulty with this exercise, you might suggest that they use a two-
step approach in developing an answer:

Notes and Answers 115


Step 1: I don’t know something.
Step 2: I don’t know how old he is.
Step 1: Something was interesting.
Step 2: What he was talking about was interesting.
ANSWERS: 3. where you live 4. What she said 5. when they are coming 6. how
much it costs 7. which one he wants 8. who is coming to the party 9. who
those people are 10. whose pen this is 11. Why they left the country 12. What
we are doing in class 13. Where she went 14. how many letters there are in the
English alphabet 15. who the mayor of NewYork City is 16. how old a person has
to be to get a driver’s license 17. what happened 18. who opened the door

䡺 EXERCISE 3, p. 242. Noun clauses beginning with a question word. (Chart 12-2)
This exercise has an uncomplicated pattern and can easily be used for pair work. Tell the
students to substitute the name of a classmate for the ellipsis that appears in parentheses
(. . .).
If you lead the exercise, you might want to change some of the items so that they are
more directly related to experiences in your students’ lives. This exercise can start slowly
and get faster as the students become accustomed to the pattern. There’s no need to rush,
however. Allow spontaneous interchanges to develop if students have interesting things
they want to say. You may wish to select students at random instead of in a predictable
order, or sometimes have the whole class respond in chorus to one or two items for a
change of pace.
Alternative format: Have the students tell you to ask someone else the question.
TEACHER: Where does Ali live?
SPEAKER: I don’t know. Ask Ali/him where he lives.
Or start a chain involving three students.
TEACHER:Maria, what is Ali’s favorite color?
SPEAKER A (Maria): I don’t know. Roberto, ask Ali what his favorite color is.
SPEAKER B (Roberto): Ali, what’s your favorite color?
SPEAKER C (Ali): Blue.

Write the pattern on the board: A: I don’t know. ________, ask _________.
B: __________, __________?
C: (answer)
ANSWERS: I don’t know . . . .
1. where (. . .) lives. 2. what country (. . .) is from. 3. how long (. . .) has been
living here. 4. what (. . .)’s telephone number is. 5. where the post office is.
6. how far it is to (Kansas City). 7. why (. . .) is absent. 8. where my book is.
9. what kind of watch (. . .) has. 10. why (. . .) was absent yesterday. 11. where
(. . .) went yesterday. 12. what kind of government (Italy) has. 13. what (. . .)’s
favorite color is. 14. how long (. . .) has been married. 15. why we are doing this
exercise. 16. who turned off the lights. 17. where (. . .) is going to eat lunch/dinner.
18. when (the semester) ends. 19. where (. . .) went after class yesterday. 20. why
(. . .) is smiling. 21. how often (. . .) goes to the library. 22. whose book that is.
23. how much that book cost. 24. who took my book.

116 CHAPTER 12, Noun Clauses


䡺 EXERCISE 4, p. 242. Noun clauses beginning with a question word.
(Chart 12-2 and Appendix Unit B)
This exercise allows students to review question formation and then compare that with
noun clause formation.
ANSWERS: 2. Why is he coming? Please tell me why he is coming. 3. Which flight will
he be on? Please tell me which flight he will be on. 4. Who is going to meet him at the
airport? Please tell me who is going to meet him at the airport. 5. Who is Jim Hunter?
Please tell me who Jim Hunter is. 6. What is Tom’s address? Please tell me what Tom ’s
address is. 7. Where does he live? Please tell me where he lives. 8. Where was he
last week? Please tell me where he was last week. 9. How long has he been working for
IBM? Do you know how long he has been working for IBM? [also possible: at IBM ]
10. What kind of computer does he have at home? Do you know what kind of computer he
has at home?

䡺 EXERCISE 5, p. 243. Noun clauses beginning with a question word.


(Chart 12-2 and Appendix Unit B)
This exercise again compares information questions and noun clauses that begin with a
question word. The dialogues in this exercise give the students typical contexts in which
noun clauses might be used.
ANSWERS: 2. is my eraser . . . it is 3. didn’t Fred lock . . . he didn’t lock 4. has
he been . . . he has lived/has been living 5. you are taking . . . are you taking
6. are we supposed . . . we are supposed

䡺 EXERCISE 6, p. 245. Information questions and noun clauses.


(Charts 12-1 and 12-2; Appendix Unit B)
Take some time to explain this exercise. The idea is to practice a realistic conversational
exchange between two speakers in which the second speaker is verifying that s/he heard the
first speaker correctly.
Make sure the students understand to switch roles every five items.
You may want to encourage the students to complete the conversation naturally, as in
this example:
SPEAKER A: Who is your roommate?
SPEAKER B: You want to know who my roommate is. (Intonation may rise at the end,
like a question.)
SPEAKER A: That’s right. / Yes. / Right.
SPEAKER B: His/Her name is (. . .).

ANSWERS: [These depend on students’ creativity.]

CHART 12-3: NOUN CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH WHETHER OR IF

• The word “whether” always implies a choice— in this case, between yes and no.
• To avoid problems with the formal sequence of tenses in noun clauses, the main verbs in any
material you might add or use for examples should not be in a past form until the students
reach Chart 12-7.

Notes and Answers 117


䡺 EXERCISE 7, p. 246. Noun clauses beginning with WHETHER or IF. (Chart 12-3)
This exercise combines noun clauses that begin with question words and those that begin
with whether or if.
The exercise can be done rather quickly if you are the first speaker and a student merely
gives the response. If, however, you set it up in the format below, the interactions will be
more realistic and students’ responses will be a little less mechanical. For example:
TEACHER: Where isYoko?
A to B: I wonder whereYoko is.
B to C: A wants to know whereYoko is. Do you know? / What do you think?
C to B: She’s at home. / I don’t know where she is.
If the students work in pairs, have them switch roles once or twice during the
exercise.
ANSWERS: I wonder . . . .
1. where my friend is. [also possible: whether/if my friend is at the library.] 2. whether/if we
should wait for him. 3. whether/if I should call him. 4. where my dictionary is.
5. who took my dictionary. [also possible: whether/if (. . .) took my dictionary.]

woman is Joe’s wife.]


6. whether/if (. . .) borrowed my dictionary. 7. who that woman is. [also possible: if that
8. whether/if she needs any help. 9. why the sky is blue.
10. how long a butterfly lives. 11. what causes earthquakes. 12. when the first
book was written. 13. who that man is. 14. what he is doing. 15. whether/if he
is having trouble. 16. whether/if I should offer to help him. 17. how far it is to
(Florida). 18. whether/if we have enough time to go to (Florida) over vacation.
[over vacation = during our vacation/holiday] 19. whose book this is. 20. whether/if it
belongs to (. . .) / who(m) it belongs to. 21. why dinosaurs became extinct.
22. whether/if there is life on other planets. 23. how life began. 24. whether/if
people will live on the moon someday.

䡺 EXERCISE 8, p. 246. Noun clauses. (Charts 12-2 and 12-3)


Be sure that students respond with a complete sentence, not just the noun clause.
ANSWERS: Could you please tell me . . . .
1. if this bus goes downtown? 2. how much this book costs? 3. when Flight 62 is
expected to arrive? 4. where the nearest phone is? 5. whether/if this word is spelled
correctly? 6. what time it is? 7. if this information is correct? 8. how much it
costs to fly from (Chicago) to (New York)? 9. where the bus station is? 10. whose
pen this is?

䡺 EXERCISE 9, p. 247. Error analysis: noun clauses. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-3)


ANSWERS:
2. No one seems to know when Maria will arrive.
3. I wonder why Bob was late for class.
4. I don’t know what does that word means.
5. I wonder does whether/if the teacher knows the answer.
6. What they should do about the hole in their roof is their most pressing problem.
7. I’ll ask her whether/if she would like some coffee or not.
8. Be sure to tell the doctor where does it hurts.
9. Why I am unhappy is something I can’t explain.
10. I wonder does whether/if Tom knows about the meeting or not.
11. I need to know who your teacher is.
12. I don’t understand why the car is not running properly.
13. My young son wants to know where do the stars go in the daytime.

118 CHAPTER 12, Noun Clauses


CHART 12-4: QUESTION WORDS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVES

• This is an example of language flexibility—two ways to say exactly the same thing. The
emphasis here is on the meaning of the infinitives in this structure.

䡺 EXERCISE 10, p. 247. Question words followed by infinitives. (Chart 12-4)


The first six items require only a change from noun clause to infinitive, but items 7–13
require students to supply an appropriate infinitive phrase. Those items also contain some
challenging vocabulary, so they might require some discussion.
ANSWERS: [The infinitives are underlined.]
2. The plumber told me how to fix the leak in the sink. [ plumber = a person who installs and
repairs water pipes, etc.; fix = repair, mend; leak = water dripping slowly through a hole; sink = a wash
basin in a kitchen or bathroom] 3. Please tell me where to meet you. 4. . . . Sandy didn’t
know whether to believe him or not. [elaborate /ilæbərət/= involved, complex] 5. . . . deciding
which one to buy. 6. . . . I don’t know what else to do. [straightened out = in order,
normal; else = additional]
POSSIBLE COMPLETIONS: 7. to say [tongue-tied = unable to speak due to fear or surprise]
8. what to wear 9. to live in a dormitory or an apartment 10. to ski 11. to
give (. . .) 12. to accept the job offer or (to) stay in graduate school 13. to go . . .
to get there

CHART 12-5: NOUN CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH THAT

• Again, as with Chart 12-1, it may be helpful to substitute the pronoun “something” in these
examples:
(c) We know something.
We know (that) the world is round.
(d) Something is obvious.
That she doesn’t understand spoken English is obvious.
• Sentences beginning with a that-clause, such as (d) and (f), are much more common in
written than in spoken English.
• Compare uses of that:
(1) This coat is mine. That coat/that one/that is yours. (That is a demonstrative
adjective/pronoun; pronounced /δæt/ with stress.)
(2) I don’t have a coat. That is a problem in cold weather. (The demonstrative pronoun
“that” refers to a whole sentence. It is pronounced /δæt/ with stress.)
(3) I bought a coat that has a hood. I showed my friend the coat (that) I bought. (That is an
adjective clause pronoun referring to the noun “coat.” It is pronounced /δət/ without
stress.)
(4) I think (that) Bob bought a new hat. (That marks a noun clause and links it to the
independent clause. It refers to nothing. It has no semantic meaning. It is not a
pronoun. It is pronounced /δət/without stress.)

Notes and Answers 119


䡺 EXERCISE 11, p. 249. Noun clauses beginning with THAT. (Chart 12-5)
This exercise may proceed slowly with false starts and discussion. You might point out that
A’s responses are typical in both spoken and written English, while B’s are usually written.
Perhaps also include in the exercise the more informal structure shown in the example: The
world is round. That is a fact. ( = It is a fact that the world is round. = That the world is round
is a fact.)
Encourage students to vary their responses by using words from the list. They should
use the unstressed pronunciation /δət/ in all these items.
POSSIBLE SENTENCES: 1. It is a pity that Tim hasn’t been able to make any friends. That
Tim hasn’t been able to make any friends is a pity. 2. It is a well-known fact that drug
abuse can ruin one’s health. That drug abuse can ruin one’s health is a well-known fact.
3. It is unfair that some women do not earn equal pay for equal work. That some women
do not earn equal pay for equal work is unfair. 4. It is true that the earth revolves
around the sun. That the earth revolves around the sun is true. 5. It is surprising that
Irene, who is an excellent student, failed her entrance examination. That Irene, who is an
excellent student, failed her entrance examination is surprising. 6. It is apparent that
smoking can cause cancer. That smoking can cause cancer is apparent. 7. It is a fact
that English is the principal language of the business community throughout much of the
world. That English is the principal language of the business community throughout much
of the world is a fact.

䡺 EXERCISE 12, p. 249. Noun clauses beginning with THAT. (Chart 12-5)
Give the class about three quiet minutes to think of some good ideas for their responses
using it. Then begin the exercise.
SAMPLE RESPONSES: 1. It is a fact that the world is round. That the world is round is a
fact. 2. It is surprising that vegetation can survive in a desert. That vegetation can
survive in a desert is surprising. 3. It is obvious that you need to wear warm clothing
when it’s cold. That you need to wear warm clothing when it’s cold is obvious. 4. It
is too bad that prejudice influences so many people. That prejudice influences so many
people is too bad. 5. It is a well-known fact that women on the average live longer
than men. That women on the average live longer than men is a well-known fact.
6. It is unfortunate that Ali had to miss class due to illness. That Ali had to miss class
due to illness is unfortunate. 7. It is true that alcohol can cause birth defects. That
alcohol can cause birth defects is true. 8. It is strange that we are destroying our
own natural resources. That we are destroying our own natural resources is strange.
9. It is unlikely that you will live to be one hundred. That you will live to be one hundred
is unlikely. 10. It is undeniable that the sun rises in the east. That the sun rises in the
east is undeniable.

䡺 EXERCISE 13, p. 249. Noun clauses beginning with THAT. (Chart 12-5)
Students might produce some interesting personal responses to this exercise. If you think
they are shy about expressing their opinions in class, you could have them write their
responses to be seen only by you. Then you might also respond with your agreement or a
differing point of view, in addition to marking their grammatical structures.
SAMPLE COMPLETIONS: 2. It seems to me that adequate health care is the right of every
citizen. 3. It is my impression that time seems to go faster as I grow older. 4. It is
my theory that excessively thin models encourage eating disorders in young women.
5. It is widely believed that herbs can heal. 6. It is thought that you can’t teach an old
dog new tricks. 7. It has been said that teenagers are more influenced by their peers
than by their parents. 8. Given the number of cars on the road these days, it is a
miracle that more people aren’t killed in automobile accidents.

120 CHAPTER 12, Noun Clauses


䡺 EXERCISE 14, p. 250. Noun clauses beginning with THAT. (Chart 12-5)
It’s assumed the students are familiar with this common pattern:
subject (a person) + be + adjective/past participle + that-clause
Other words used in this pattern: delighted, relieved, sad, upset, proud, ashamed, astonished,
shocked, stunned, alarmed, angry, furious, irritated, worried, satisfied, fascinated, interested,
impressed, intrigued, aware, sure, certain, lucky, fortunate.
Students aren’t expected to have difficulty with this pattern.
SAMPLE COMPLETIONS: 2. . . . we had this time together. 3. . . . I wasn’t able to get a
ticket to the soccer finals. 4. . . . you have been my teacher this year. 5. . . .Yoko
quit school. 6. . . . you will like this restaurant as much as we do. 7. . . . the
prices are so reasonable. 8. . . . it isn’t raining today. 9. . . . my bus was late.
10. . . . I can’t make it to your wedding.

䡺 EXERCISE 15, p. 250. Noun clauses beginning with THAT. (Chart 12-5)
This exercise contains basics of English rhetoric: topic sentence followed by supporting
sentences. Items 3, 4, and 5 could be turned into full compositions if your students are
interested in the organization of writing.
When discussing item 4 in class, take some time to let the students share the problems
they are having. Ask for completions from several or many students.
SAMPLE COMPLETIONS: 3. One reason is that I want to study at an American university.
Another reason is that I need to pass a written driver’s test. A third reason is that I need to
find a good part-time job. 4. One problem is that I’m homesick. Another problem is
that I can’t understand people when they speak fast. A third problem I have had is that I
am having trouble finding an apartment for my family. 5. One advantage of owning
your own car is that you don’t need to rely on public transportation. Another advantage is
that you can travel into the country on weekends. One disadvantage, however, of owning
your own car is that it is expensive.

䡺 EXERCISE 16, p. 250. Noun clauses beginning with THAT. (Chart 12-5)
ANSWERS: 2. The fact that Rosa didn’t come made me angry. 3. I feel fine except for
the fact that I’m a little tired. 4. Natasha was not admitted to the university due to the
fact that she didn’t pass the entrance examination. 5. The fact that many people in the
world live in intolerable poverty must concern all of us. 6. The fact that Surasuk is
frequently absent from class indicates his lack of interest in school. 7. I was not aware
of the fact that I was supposed to bring my passport to the examination for identification.
8. Due to the fact that the people of the town were given no warning of the approaching
tornado, there were many casualties.

Notes and Answers 121


CHART 12-6: QUOTED SPEECH

• As an example of the importance of using quotation marks correctly, you might put the
following sentence on the chalkboard and ask students to add punctuation marks:
My dog said Mary needs a new home.
If the punctuation is incorrect, the dog might appear to be speaking!
INCORRECT: My dog said,“Mary needs a new home.”
CORRECT: “My dog,” said Mary,“needs a new home.”
• In the chart, said and asked are used as the reporting verbs. Additional reporting verbs are
cry, exclaim, mutter, reflect, snarl.

䡺 EXERCISES 17 and 18, p. 252. Quoted speech. (Chart 12-6)


Point out the exact placement of each punctuation mark. Make sure the students are
writing the quotation marks above, not on, the line. A good approach to this exercise is to
have the students write the items on the chalkboard to provide a focus for class discussion.
Comic strips in a newspaper can also be used to practice writing quotations; the
students can describe a comic strip in writing, using quoted speech as appropriate.
EX. 17 ANSWERS:
1. Henry said, “There is a phone call for you.”
2. “There is a phone call for you,” he said.
3. “There is,” said Henry, “a phone call for you.”
4. “There is a phone call for you. It’s your sister,” said Henry.
5. “There is a phone call for you,” he said. “It’s your sister.”
6. I asked him, “Where is the phone?”
7. “Where is the phone?” she asked.
8. “Stop the clock!” shouted the referee. “We have an injured player.”
9. “Who won the game?” asked the spectator.
10. “I’m going to rest for the next three hours,” she said. “I don’t want to be disturbed.”
“That’s fine,” I replied. “You get some rest. I’ll make sure no one disturbs you.”
EX. 18 ANSWERS:
When the police officer came over to my car, he said, “Let me see your driver’s license,
please.”
“What’s wrong, Officer?” I asked. “Was I speeding?”
“No, you weren’t speeding,” he replied. “You went through a red light at the corner of
Fifth Avenue and Main Street. You almost caused an accident.”
“Did I really do that?” I said. “I didn’t see a red light.”

䡺 EXERCISE 19, p. 253. Activity: quoted speech. (Chart 12-6)


The conversation should be brief (a maximum of six sentences). The two speakers will
probably have to repeat their dialogue, for some of the listeners will miss the exact words at
first. The speakers must repeat it exactly, so it’s a good idea for them to work from a script
that they have written.
Have the students compare their written conversations. Emphasize the importance of
accuracy in direct quotations.
If your class is very large or the room is noisy, it might be difficult for everyone to hear
the conversation. In that case, you might divide the class into groups or simply ask students
to imagine a conversation and write it down in order to practice quoted speech.

122 CHAPTER 12, Noun Clauses


䡺 EXERCISE 20, p. 253. Activity: quoted speech. (Chart 12-6)
In item 1, the fable shows a lazy grasshopper relaxing while ants are busily collecting food.
Later, in the cold of winter, the grasshopper must beg for food from the happy ants. Ask
the students what the moral of the tale is, something along the lines of “It’s important to
work hard and prepare for the future” or “Those who don’t take care of themselves must
rely on the generosity of others.”

CHART 12-7: REPORTED SPEECH: VERB FORMS IN NOUN CLAUSES

• Changes in noun-clause verbs to a past form are sometimes called “the formal sequence of
tenses in noun clauses.”
• Tense usage in noun clauses is by no means as regular and consistent as this chart may
indicate. Rules for sequence of tenses are helpful, but there are many exceptions. Encourage
your students to practice the sequence of tenses as presented in this chart, but accept any
viable responses in the exercises.
• You might have Student A read a quoted speech sentence in the chart, then ask Student B
(book closed) to paraphrase that in reported speech. Invite comments from the class about
the grammatical differences.
• Point out the changes in modals (h–k) from quoted to reported speech, and note the
exceptions in (l).

䡺 EXERCISE 21, p. 254. Reported speech. (Chart 12-7)


This exercise requires students: (1) to form noun clauses and (2) to adjust verb forms. The
same student should read aloud both sentences in each item.
ANSWERS: 4. if I was hungry. 5. (that) she wanted a sandwich. 6. (that) he was
going to move to Ohio. 7. whether/if I had enjoyed my trip. 8. what I was talking
about. 9. whether/if I had seen her grammar book. 10. (that) she didn’t want to
go. 11. where Nadia was. 12. whether/if I could help him with his report.
13. (that) he might be late. 14. (that) I should work harder. [also possible: to work
harder] 15. (that) she had to go downtown. 16. why the sky is blue. 17. why I
was tired. 18. (that) he would come to the meeting. 19. whether/if Ms. Chang
would be in class tomorrow / would be in class the next day. 20. that the sun rises in
the east. 21. (that) someday we would be in contact with beings from outer space.
[beings = living things] 22. (that) he thought (that) he would go to the library to study.
[Note: In items 22, 23, and 24, the sentences contain two noun clauses, i.e., one of the noun clauses
contains another noun clause.] 23. whether/if Omar knew what he was doing.
24. whether/if what I had heard was true. 25. (that) sentences with noun clauses are a
little complicated.

䡺 EXERCISE 22, p. 256. Activity: reported speech. (Chart 12-7)


You might suggest that the students use formal sequence of tenses. However, in this kind of
conversation, the present tense may be equally or even more appropriate because the
situation is immediate.

Notes and Answers 123


ANSWERS: 1. what time it was. 2. whether/if I could speak Arabic. 3. whether/if I
had seen (. . .). 4. whether/if I would be here tomorrow. 5. what kind of camera I
had. 6. what courses I was taking. 7. whether/if I had finished my assignment.
8. ( free response) 9. whether/if I had read . . . . 10. how I liked living here.
11. if he/she could borrow . . . . 12. where I would be . . . . 13. what I was
going to do . . . . 14. whether/if I had gone/ went . . . . 15. whether/if she/he
could use my pen. 16. ( free response) 17. how many people I have/had met . . . .
18. where he/she should meet me . . . . 19. whether/if I understood . . . .
20. whether/if I had gone . . . . 21. whether/if what I had said was/were really
true. [Were is the subjunctive, which emphasizes the speculative nature of the question. (See
Chapter 20.)] 22. whether/if what I wanted to talk to her/him about was/were really
important. 23. how I knew that what I said was really true.

䡺 EXERCISE 23, p. 257. Activity: reported speech. (Chart 12-7)


The directions require a past verb form in the noun clause. This includes the past perfect.
ANSWERS: (. . .) asked me . . . .
[See Exercise 22.]

䡺 EXERCISE 24, p. 257. Reported speech: verb forms in noun clauses. (Chart 12-7)
ANSWERS: 2. [leave for = go to] 3. was going . . . didn’t know . . . worked
4. where the chess match would take . . . hadn’t been decided 5. was . . . didn’t think
. . . would . . . speak . . . was getting . . . would be speaking 6. were . . . might be
. . . could develop

䡺 EXERCISE 25, p. 258. Reported speech. (Chart 12-7)


The students are using parallel noun clauses in this exercise. (Parallel structure is
presented in Chart 16-1.) They must notice whether the two statements are similar (use
and ) or are in a contrasting relationship (use but). The possible use of ellipsis (i.e., the
deletion of unnecessary, repetitive words when the meaning is evident) is noted below by
parentheses.
ANSWERS: 2. she was excited about her new job and (that she) had found a nice apartment.
3. my Uncle Harry was in the hospital and that Aunt Sally was very worried about
him. 4. that s/he expected us to be in class every day and that unexcused absences
might affect our grades. 5. that Highway 66 would be closed for two months and that
commuters should seek alternative routes. 6. that he was getting good grades but (that
he) had difficulty understanding lectures. 7. that every obstacle was a steppingstone to
success and that I should view problems in my life as opportunities to prove
myself. [steppingstone = a flat stone to walk on; figuratively, the next step toward a goal] 8. that
she would come to the meeting but (that she) couldn’t stay for more than an hour.

䡺 EXERCISE 26, p. 259. Activity: reported speech. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-7)


Students can have fun with this exercise if they use their creativity. The “reporter” has to
have a good memory!
ANSWERS: [These depend on students’ creativity.]

䡺 EXERCISE 27, p. 259. Review: noun clauses. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-7)


If students take time to use their knowledge and creativity, they can produce very interesting
sentences. Encourage them to do this, then reward their successes.
ANSWERS: [These depend on students’ creativity.]

124 CHAPTER 12, Noun Clauses


䡺 EXERCISE 28, p. 259. Activity: noun clauses. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-7)
Students’ answers will vary. They can read each other’s to discover the variations and to
help check for mistakes.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS:
1. Alex asked me what I was doing. I replied that I was drawing a picture.
2. Ann asked Sue if she wanted to go to a movie Sunday night. Sue said that she would
like to but that she had to study.
3. The little boy asked Mrs. Robinson how old she was. She told him that it was not
polite to ask people their age.
4. My sister asked me if there was anything I especially wanted to watch on TV. I
replied that there was a show at 8:00 that I had been waiting to see for a long time.
She asked me what it was. When I told her that it was a documentary about green
sea turtles, she wondered why I wanted to see that. I explained that I was doing a
research paper on sea turtles and thought I might be able to get some good
information from the documentary. I suggested that she watch [subjunctive (See
Chart 12-8.)] it with me. She declined and said she wasn’t especially interested in
green sea turtles.

䡺 EXERCISE 29, p. 260. Activity: noun clauses. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-7)


This exercise asks the students to invent a story based on a picture. It’s intended as a fun
writing exercise. Tell them to include all five people in the picture in their story.
The point of this exercise is for the students to use reported speech in their writing.
They could, of course, also use quoted speech if they wish. Be sure they report the story in
the past.
The class might enjoy orally sharing their stories to see how closely their stories
resemble each other.

䡺 EXERCISE 30, p. 261. Error analysis: noun clauses. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-7)
You might want to let the students know that all of the items in this exercise come from the
written work of students just like them, and that these errors are common. In language
learning, an error in usage is a learning opportunity. Encourage the students to feel good
about their ability to spot and correct these typical noun clause errors, and emphasize that
self-monitoring is an important part of their own writing process.
ANSWERS:
1. Tell the taxi driver where do you want to go.
2. My roommate came into the room and asked me why I wasn’t in class. I told him / said
(that) I was waiting for a telephone call from my family. OR My roommate came into
the room and asked me,“Why aren’t you in class?” I said, “I am waiting for a
telephone call from my family.”
3. It was my first day at the university, and I was on my way to my first class. I wondered
who else would be in the class and what the teacher would be like.
4. He asked me what did I intended to do after I graduated.
5. Many of the people in the United States do not know much about geography. For
example, people will ask you where Japan is located.
6. What does a patient tells a doctor it is confidential.
7. What my friend and I did it was our secret. We didn’t even tell our parents what we
did.
8. The doctor asked whether/if I felt okay. I told him that I didn’t feel well.
9. It is clear that the ability to use a computer it is an important skill in the modern world.

Notes and Answers 125


10. I asked him, “What kind of movies do you like?” He said me, “I like romantic movies.”
OR I asked him what kind of movies he liked. He told me / said (that) he liked
romantic movies.
11. “Is it true you almost drowned?” my friend asked me. “Yes,” I said. “I’m really glad
to be alive. It was really frightening.”
12. The fact that I almost drowned makes me very careful about water safety whenever I go
swimming.
13. I didn’t know where I was supposed to get off the bus, so I asked the driver where the
science museum was. She told me the name of the street. She said she would tell me
when I should get off the bus.
14. My mother did not live with us. When other children asked me where was my mother
was, I told them she was going to come to visit me very soon.
15. When I asked the taxi driver to drive faster, he said, “I will drive faster if you pay me
more.” OR he said he would drive faster if I paid him more. At that time I didn’t
care how much it would cost, so I told him to go as fast as he could.
16. We looked back to see where we were and how far we were from camp. We didn’t
know, so we decided to turn back. We were afraid that we had wandered too far.
[wander = walk with no definite goal]
17. After the accident, I opened my eyes slowly and realized that I was still alive.
18. My country is prospering due to it is a the fact that it has become a leading producer of oil.
19. It is true that one must know English in order to study at an American university.
20. My mother told me what it was the purpose of our visit. OR what it the purpose of
our visit was.

䡺 EXERCISE 31, p. 262. Activity: noun clauses. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-7)


You might want to set a limit on length for item 1 (e.g., a minimum of five sentences and a
maximum of eight). Students should underline the sentences that include the assigned
pattern so that you can find them easily.
When you mark the students’ papers, focus mainly on sentences that include reported
speech. Reward their grammatical successes.
For item 2, the letter can be written out of class, then the summary in class. You should
probably set a length limit for the letter (e.g., one page). Writing a letter to a classmate can
be a fun activity. Make sure that each student is the recipient of a letter. Perhaps recipients’
names can be drawn from a hat.

䡺 EXERCISE 32, p. 262. Activity: noun clauses. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-7)


This exercise uses meaningful, creative communication as the basis for written work that
reinforces the grammar the students have been concentrating on. The written reports can
be quite short and succinct.
The topics are designed to engender differing points of view and encourage open
discussion. For example, not everyone will agree on what is most important in life, or what
jobs women can and cannot do. Also, you or the class can provide other topics for
discussion relevant to contemporary world events or issues in your city or school.
Another possibility is to use the items as debate topics, assigning certain students to
argue in favor of the statement and others against. Some students, however, find it difficult
to argue in favor of something they don’t believe.

䡺 EXERCISE 33, p. 262. Activity: noun clauses. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-7)


As an ongoing activity through many classes, have one or two students per day give their
one-minute speeches until everyone in the class has had an opportunity to speak. Allow
writing time in class.

126 CHAPTER 12, Noun Clauses


SUGGESTION: Give the written reports to the student who spoke and ask her/him to
correct them. It is enlightening for a speaker to read what others think s/he said.
One problem here is to encourage reticent students to speak in front of the whole class,
and to speak clearly so that their classmates can take notes and report what was said. On
the other hand, it may be difficult to keep some eager speakers within the one-minute limit.
If some students object to listening to each other’s imperfect English, you might remind
them that in future years they will probably use English to communicate with people who,
like them, are not native speakers of English.

䡺 EXERCISE 34, p. 263. Activity: noun clauses. (Charts 12-1 ¡ 12-7)


The interviewee can be a member of your family, a faculty member, a community leader,
your next-door neighbor—students enjoy interviewing a native speaker of English.
Whoever the interviewee is, prepare the students. Give them information about the person
and ask them to prepare questions before they come to class on the day of the interview.
Record the interview (on audio or video tape) so that the accuracy of quotations can be
checked (and students can proudly hear their own public English).
All students will interview the same person, so their written reports will be similar.
Therefore, you might choose the best one for “publication.” As an alternative, you could
arrange for several people to be available for interviews and divide the class into groups.
Then students’ reports will differ, and you could publish more than one.

CHART 12-8: USING THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN NOUN CLAUSES

• The subjunctive is referred to as a “mood” in traditional grammar books. This is


unimportant for your students to know. The important point is for them to understand and
use the subjunctive appropriately. It is a useful structure because the words used to introduce
noun clauses containing a subjunctive verb are common expressions.

䡺 EXERCISES 35 and 36, p. 264. Using the subjunctive in noun clauses. (Chart 12-8)
Give students a moment to read and think before they answer.
EX. 35 POSSIBLE ANSWERS: 2. call 3. tell 4. speak 5. write/send 6. see
7. contact 8. be
EX. 36 ANSWERS: 1. take 2. be named 3. stay 4. be postponed 5. be
admitted 6. be controlled . . . (be) eliminated 7. have 8. be 9. know
10. be 11. be permitted 12. not be [Note the word order with a negative.]
13. return 14. be built 15. not tell . . . be told

Notes and Answers 127


CHART 12-9: USING -EVER WORDS

• These words are of fairly low frequency, but deserve a moment’s notice. Concentrate on
meaning here. The text treats these words principally as vocabulary items because the
underlying grammatical structures are complicated.
• Mention that so might be added with no change in meaning: whosoever, whatsoever,
wheresoever, howsoever. This is more common in legal or religious contexts than in everyday
speech or writing.

䡺 EXERCISE 37, p. 265. Using -EVER words. (Chart 12-9)


Lead the class through this exercise fairly quickly, but discuss any questions that arise.
ANSWERS: 2. whenever 3. whatever 4. whichever 5. whatever
6. Whoever 7. whatever 8. however 9. whoever 10. wherever
11. whomever/whoever . . . whomever/whoever 12. whatever [“the end justifies the
means” = achieving your goal (the end) is more important than the method (means) of achieving it]
13. whichever 14. wherever 15. whatever . . . wherever . . . whenever . . .
whomever/whoever . . . however

128 CHAPTER 12, Noun Clauses

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