Writing for IELTS, session3

Noun clause:

A clause which comes instead a noun.
It can be replaced with (something or somebody)

Noun and noun clause places:

1.      Subject

2.      Object of verb

3.      Object of preposition

4.      Subjective complement

Example:
Noun as subject:
John goes home.
Noun as object of verb:
I see John everyday.
Noun as object of preposition:
I speak with John everyday.
Noun as subjective complement:

He is John.

Example:
Noun clause as subject:
[Whether he comes] is still uncertain.
Noun clause as object of verb:
We do not know [whether he comes].
Noun clause as object of preposition:
We talked all night about [whether he comes].
Noun clause subjective complement:
It is still uncertain [whether he comes].

Notice:
The word “Whether” is a connector here.
Types of noun clauses:

1.      Statement (positive or negative)

2.      “Wh” – question

3.      “yes/No” – question

Example:
John plays the piano well. (Statement)
That John plays the piano well is an accepted fact.

Notice:
“That” is generally used as a connector in “statement noun clauses”

Example:
Main sentence: My father knows [something].
Statement noun clause: His team will win.
Combined sentence: My father knows [that his team will win].
That: Connector
His team will win: Noun clause
Object of verb
Positive statement

Notice:
۴ functions of noun clauses * 3 types of noun clause = 12 different form of
noun clauses.
Coherence and cohesion of sentences are only achievable by the use of noun

clauses.

Example:
He deals with something every day. (Statement)
I don’t like to deal with something. (Main sentence)
I don’t like to deal with what he deals with every day.

Notice:
Whenever we have a preposition before “that” that should be replaced with
“what”.

Here: “with that” turned to “with what”

Example:
I am against something. (Main sentence)
He has said something. (Statement)
I am against [what he has said].
[What he has said]: Noun clause, object of preposition, statement.
Notice: Whenever noun clause is an object of preposition the connector should be
“what”.

Example:
Something is debate full. (Main sentence)
The government doesn’t increase the taxes. (Statement)
It is debate full [that the government doesn’t increase the taxes.]
Noun clause: Subjective complement, statement.

Example:
I want to know something. (Main sentence)
What do you need? (Wh-question)
I want to know [what you need]. (Combination)
What you need: Noun clause, object of verb, Wh-question.

Notice:
In Wh-question noun clauses Wh-question word is used instead the
connector.

Example:
Something is not important for us. (Main sentence)
What do you need? (Wh-question)
[What you need] is not important for us. (Combination)
What you need: Noun clause, Wh-question, Subject

Example:
Something has not been reported to us. (Main sentence)
Have the students finished their exam? (Yes/No-question)
[Whether/If students have finished their exam] has not been reported to us.
(Combination)
Whether/If students have finished their exam: Noun clause, subject,
Yes/No question.

Notice:
“If/Whether” is used as connector in Yes/No-question noun clauses.
It is optional to use “or not” for “whether”.
It is wrong to use “or not” for “if”.