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In this post, I'll explain our new lesson about 'noun clause connectors and noun clause as subjects in multiple clauses'. What is a noun? A noun is the most common word class before verb in English language. How about a noun clause?
We may have a noun as one word, and we can have a noun phrase which consists of more than one word (usually it combines adjective + noun, determiner + noun, quantifiers + noun, etc.). We also have a noun clause: a clause with a subject and a verb. This clause will function as a noun in a multiple clauses (or a complex sentence). Here is the example of the expressions of a noun, a noun phrase, and a noun clause in multiple clauses (or in a complex sentence):
1. A noun: “I am concerned about him (Jacob).”
Jacob is a proper noun, the name of a person or you can replace Jacob with him as an object pronoun. The noun here functions as the object of a preposition about, one of the functions of noun (i.e., subject and object of a verb, and object of preposition).
2. A noun phrase: “I am concerned about the arrival of the plane.”
The noun phrase is the arrival of the plane. The noun phrase here functions as the object of a preposition about. The noun phrase consists of determiner - noun - preposition (of) - determiner - noun. A complicated way to make a noun.
3. A noun clause: “I am concerned about when he will arrive.”
The noun clause is when he will arrive. This noun clause is also called as subordinate clause (Because it cannot stand alone. We cannot just say: when he will arrive. And then what?), and the main clause is I am concerned. The noun clause here functions as the object of a preposition about.
What is so special about this noun clause? This can make you confuse during a test, because actually we have got two ways of using a noun clause. Our lesson today is actually not about noun clause (in number 3). But we will learn about a noun clause (in number 4).
4. A noun clause: "What was on television made me angry."
Some of you might not know about this structure, because most of use sometimes use our intuition or feelings as a result of our habits (e.g., listening and watching contents in English, or reading books written in English). So, now, it's time for us to look at it from the grammar perspectives.
What are the differences between noun clauses in number 3 and 4?
3. "I am concerned about when he will arrive."
4. "What was on television made me angry."
In number 3, a noun connector when only functions to connect the two clauses (main and subordinate clause). So, after the connector when we need a subject and a verb.
On the other hand, in number 4, a noun connector what functions not only as a connector between the two clauses (was on television and made me angry), but also what here functions as the subject of the subordinate clause, and the noun clause (what was on television) functions as the whole sentence (made me angry).
I have provided you with another practice of our lesson today. Tell the sentence whether it is correct or incorrect.
5. "You should find out which the best physics department."
What do you think? Is it right or wrong sentence?
Yap, this sentence is still not right. It has got an incorrect structure.
We don't have a verb in the subordinate clause (i.e., noun clause) which the best physics department. The sentence should be: which is the best physics department.
In this sentence, the noun connector which functions as both the connector between the two clauses and the subject of the subordinate clause.
Here is the example of the presentation of the question.
1. _____ was on television made me angry.
A. It
B. The story
C. What
D. When
From the grammar perspective we all know that in this sentence we have got two verbs (was and made), it means two events or descriptions (i.e., in the form of two clauses). It means we will need a connector to combine these two clauses. And the connector is only what and when, and since when doesn’t match with the sentence, we can choose what option as our best answer. For your information too, the noun clause connector what here does not only function as a connector but also as a subject of the noun clause. That makes the noun clause here functions as the subject of the sentence.
I hope that the explanation I have made here, in the blog version can help you learn more about a particular skill in TOEFL Structure Test. You can also visit our my YouTube channel to see the explanation directly and do some practices too.
(1) Materi TOEFL Structure Skill 10 - Use noun clause connectors/subjects correctly (multiple clauses)
(2) Soal dan Pembahasan TOEFL Structure Skill 10 - Use noun clause connectors/subjects correctly
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I have provided the Presentation slides. You can download the presentation freely by visiting this link:
References:
Philips, D. (2003). Longman preparation course for the TOEFL test: The paper test. NY: Longman.
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