Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.

A English)

Grammar for IELTS

Noun Clauses

Noun clauses (sometimes called 'nominal clauses') are quite often used in IELTS Writing Task 2 essays
and are well worth leaning about.

1. What is a Noun Clause?

Noun clause are dependent clauses and cannot stand alone. This means they are part of a sentence and
cannot be a sentence on their own. They usually begin with certain specific words. Below is a list of the
most common words to start a noun clause.
Noun clause words

• how • the fact that • whether

• how long • what • which
• how much/ how many • whatever • whichever
• how often • when • who
• that • where • whoever
• why

2. Creating a Noun Clause

A noun clause usually starts with one of the words given in the list above. There are four ways to form a
noun clause.
A. Noun Clause Word + Noun + Verb + Rest of clause
B. Noun Clause Word + Noun + to-infinite + Rest of clause
C. Noun Clause Word + to-infinite + Rest of clause
D. Noun Clause with whoever/ whatever

A) Noun Clause Word + Noun + Verb + Rest of clause

A noun clause begins with a noun clause word as shown in the list above. It can then be followed by a
noun (or a pronoun), a verb and the rest of the noun clause.
➢ How much money is invested in schools depends on various factors.
In this sentence, the noun clause is:
How much money is invested in schools
The formation of this noun clause is illustrated below.
How much Noun Clause Word
money Noun (subject of noun clause)

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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)

is invested Verb (present simple, passive

voice)
in schools Rest of noun clause

➢ Environmentalists agree that governments should put climate change at the top of their agenda.
In this sentence, the noun clause is that governments should put climate change at the top of their
agenda.
that Noun clause word
governments Noun (subject of noun
clause)
should put Verb
climate change at the top of their Rest of noun clause
agenda

It is also possible to create more complex noun clauses using a connector such as or/and.
➢ Whether people play sport or do exercise will impact their health.
➢ How often people do exercise, eat well and unwind can affect their mental well-being.

Subject – Verb agreement within a noun clause

Within the noun clause itself, we must check the subject in the noun clause and the verb in the noun
clause to make sure they are in agreement.

➢ How much money is invested in schools depends on various factors.

➢ How much traffic flows through city centres affects the quality of air.
➢ How many people visit museums each day is important to consider.
➢ How much we spend on space exploration should depend on the wealth of each country.
➢ People have different opinions about whether having university education is beneficial or not.

B) Noun Clause Word + Noun + to-infinite + Rest of clause

➢ How much money to invest in the healthcare system is often disagreed on.
How much Noun clause word
money Noun
to invest to-infinitive
in the healthcare system Rest of clasue

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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)

➢ How many people to allow into a museum at one time must be regulated.
➢ Whichever candidate to hire must be agreed on unanimously.
➢ How much effort to put into one's job is an individual preference.
➢ Which product to purchase usually depends on both the quality and the price.

C) Noun Clause Word + to-infinite + Rest of clause

➢ How much to invest in space exploration is something people do not always agree on.
How much Noun clause word
to invest to-infinitive
in space exploration Rest of clause

A. Creating noun clauses using Noun Clause Word + to-infinite + Rest of clause is most common using
the following noun clause words:
• How • What
• How often • Who
• How long • Where
• How much / how many • When
• Whether

➢ How to improve a country's economy is important to assess before providing aid.

➢ Whether to donate money or provide food and shelter is a difficult decision to make when helping
the homeless.
➢ How long to stay in one job might be determined by the promotional prospects within the
company.
➢ Where to build new housing must be decided carefully.
➢ When to take up a hobby can sometimes depend on a person's time in life.

D) Noun Clause with whoever/ whatever

Noun clauses starting with whoever/ whatever can have two different patterns:
i whoever/ whatever + Noun (or Pronoun) + Verb + Rest of clause
ii whoever / whatever + Verb + Rest of clause

i. Whoever/ whatever + Noun (or Pronoun) + Verb + Rest of clause

➢ Whatever solution the government decides must reflect the will of the people.

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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)

Whatever Noun clause word

solution Noun (object of the verb decides)
the government Noun (subject of the verb decides)
decides Verb

ii. Whoever / whatever + Verb + Rest of clause

➢ Companies should hire whoever has the most experience and qualifications.
➢ We can decide whatever happens next.
In these sentences, you can see that the noun clause is followed immediately by a verb (has/happens). It
is not followed by a noun, pronoun or noun phrase. This is because the meaning of whoever and
whatever already 'includes' a noun:
Whoever = the person who; anyone who
Whatever = the thing that; anything that
➢ Whoever wins the space race will have total control over the Earth.
➢ Whoever spreads false information through the internet should be prosecuted.
➢ Teachers are always happy to train whoever wants to learn and to work hard.
➢ Whatever stimulates people to discover new cultures is a good thing.
➢ Social networking websites tend to promote whatever encourages people to spend money.

3. Functions of Noun Clauses in the sentence

In a sentence, a noun clause very often functions as subject or object. However, it can also perform
other functions.

Noun Clauses as Subject in a Sentence

➢ How much money is invested in schools depends on various factors.

➢ How much to invest in housing depends on various factors.

Subject – verb agreement within the sentence

➢ Why so many people use social networking websites is relatively easy to explain.
➢ The fact that global warming is increasing is a good sign for the future.
➢ Whoever cares for abandoned or abused children deserves our admiration.
➢ Whether people take a car or a bus to work is not the issue.
➢ Why some people still deny climate change is a growing concern.

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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)

Noun clauses as object

A noun clause can also be placed as the object to the verb in the sentence.

➢ I believe that diplomacy can solve all problems between countries.

➢ It is important to consider why people enjoy travelling to foreign countries.
➢ Many people still do not understand how important exercise is.
➢ We do not really know how much will be left of the primeval forests in ten years' time.
➢ We should not ignore what animals can teach us.

Noun Clauses as Subject Complement

A noun clause functions as subject complement if it follows a linking verb (usually be, sometimes
become). In this case, the noun clause completes or describes the subject of the main clause.
➢ The problem is that many people are not recycling.
➢ The question is why we keep living the way we do if it damages the environment.
➢ I refuse to believe that truth is whatever we think is true.
➢ Some philosophers say that we become what we are.

Noun Clauses as Complement of an Adjective

Sometimes, a noun clause can be used to complete the meaning of an adjective or adjective phrase:

➢ Many people are not sure how much to donate to charities.

➢ Scientists are uncertain why the placebo effect is so powerful.
➢ People are afraid that another financial crisis might arise.
➢ Young graduates are often worried they might not find a job that matches their qualifications.

Noun Clauses as Complement of a Preposition

Finally, a noun clause can also be used to complete the meaning of a preposition or prepositional
phrase.

➢ A good teacher listens to what students have to say.

➢ It is high time governments focused their mind on how to eradicate poverty.
➢ We cannot spend our life waiting for whoever might be able to solve our problems.
➢ Sometimes, it can be very useful to stop and think about why we do what we do.

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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)

Noun Clauses: Exercises

1. Underline the noun clause in the following sentences.

1 Governments seem uncertain how to deal with the refugee crisis.

2 Experts are wondering what to do about global warming.
3 Why civilized people so often resort to war is beyond comprehension.
4 How much money you earn should not depend on gender.
5 Scientists cannot explain why so many people are unhappy.

2. Choose the correct option (a, b or c) to complete the sentences.

1 A serious problem for many young graduates is ------------------- to pay off their student loan debt.
a.that b. how c. what
2 ------------------- girls outperform boys in maths and science surprises some people.
a.That b. What c. The fact
3 It has become difficult for parents to explain to their children ------------------- reading real books is
a source of learning and pleasure.
a.how much b. whether c. why
4 ------------------- we have to do is to improve the public transport system.
a.Why b. How c. What
5 ------------------- or not animals should be used for scientific research will always remain a divisive
issue.
a.Whether b. When c. Whichever
6 Age and lifestyle decide ------------------- we should be sleeping for.
a.where b. how long c. who
7 People no longer know ------------------- sources of information they can trust.
a.what b. whether c. that

8 We should not allow ------------------- happens at work to affect our behaviour at home.
a.that b. which c. whatever
9 ------------------- we meet when we are in a foreign country can teach us something about the
culture.
a.The fact that b. Whoever c. How much
10 Not all parents understand ------------------- fast food impacts their children's health.
a.how b. whatever c. whether

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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)

3. Change the questions into noun clauses to compete the sentences.

1. How harmful is fast food?

The corporate media do not tell us ----------------------------------------------------------------
2. Are health data used with or without patient consent?
The public needs to know ---------------------------------------------------------------- with or without
patient consent.
3. Why do schoolchildren get so much homework?
Many parents wonder ---------------------------------------------------------------- so much homework.
4. How does the government use tax money?
---------------------------------------------------------------- is not always explained clearly.
5. When will the next financial crisis arise?
Even experts cannot predict with certainty ----------------------------------------------------------------
6. Where does milk come from?
A large number of city children have no idea ----------------------------------------------------------------
7. Do offenders benefit from rehabilitation programmes?
Several studies have tried to assess ----------------------------------------------------------------
8. Do young people want to change the world?
---------------------------------------------------------------- should not surprise anyone.
9. Why do some people lie to their therapists?
There are various reasons ----------------------------------------------------------------
10. How many species become extinct each year?
It is very hard to know exactly ----------------------------------------------------------------