*Chapter 12: Noun clauses.
Hi, my name is Andrea.

Today we’re going to learn about noun clauses.

In part one, we’re going to see noun clauses with that; reported speech.

In part two, we’re going to see the noun clauses with if ad whether; noun clauses with question words.

In part three, we’re going to see clause to phrase reduction; review of clauses.


*Part one: Noun clauses with that; reported speech.
Let’s start with the part one: Noun clauses with that; reported speech.

First, we’re going to talk about: Noun clauses with that.

We have to say that noun clauses may replace nouns or pronouns as subjects, objects, or complements. These clauses often begin with the subordinating conjunction that. In conversational English, that is frequently omit led. Let’s compare:

I know something.

I know (that) friends are important.

Note: Remember that noun clauses often follow such verbs as: ask, believe, hope, know, mention, notice, realize, regret, remark, say, tell, think, understood, and wish.

Let’s continue talking about quotations and reported speech.

First, we have to know that quotations are the exact words that someone says. They are used with quotation marks. A comma often precedes or follows a quotation. For example:

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "the only way to have a friend is to be one".

Second, we’re going to say that reported speechtells the ideas, but not necessarily the exact words of the original speaker.

Reported speech does not normally require commas or quotation marks. For example:

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that the only way to have a friend is (was) to be a friend to someone.

Now, we’re going to talk about sequence of tenses in reported speech:

We can say that verbs and certain modal auxiliaries may shiftto past forms in reported speech. These shifts most often occur when the report is being given at a different time or place or when the original speaker is giving the report. If the fact or event being reported is still true or still going on, the shift is frequently optional. We’re going to see some examples:

For those examples, we’re going to changes in the following tenses:

Like quotation:

Molly said, "Max is at home".

Like reported speech:

Molly said (that) Max was (is) at home.

Like quotation:

Molly mentioned, "Max is studying".

Like reported speech:

She mentioned (that) he was (is) studying.

Like quotation:

She remarked, "he is going to study all day".

Like reported speech:

She remarked (that) he was (is) going to study all day.

Note: Don’t forget that in reported speech, when the verb in the main clause (molly said, he mentioned, etc.) is in the past, the verb in the noun clause is often in a past tense.

Let`s see more examples with other verbal time:

Like quotation:

She said, "he has a lot of work".

Like reported speech:

She said (that) he had (has) a lot of work.

Like quotation:

She added, "he hasn't finished yet".

Like reported speech:

She added (that) he hadn't (hasn't)finished yet.

Like quotation:

She said, "he started yesterday".

Like reported speech:

She said (that) he started (had started).

Note: Remember this, “that” is often omitted.

One example more with otherverbal time:

Like quotation:

She said, "he was work­ing very hard".

Like reported speech:

She said (that) he was working (had been work­ing) very hard.

Note: Don’t forget that the shift of simple past and past continuous tenses in the noun clause to perfect forms is often optional.

For those other examples, we’re going to changes in modal auxiliaries:

Like quotation:

Molly said, "Max can't come.”

Like reported speech:

She said (that)Max couldn't (can't) come.

Note: Remember thatcan often shift to could.

Let’s see another example:

Like quotation:

She remarked, "Max may come later".

Like reported speech:

She remarked (that) he might (may) come later.

Note: Don’t forget that may often shift to might. Often shifts to.

The last examples:

Like quotation:

She added, "he will tell us."

Like reported speech:

She added (that)he would (will) tell us.

Like quotation:

She stressed, "he must finish his work."

Like reported speech:

She stressed (that) he had to (must) finish his work.

Note: Remember it, must is sometimes changed to had to when need is expressed.

Now, we’re going to talk about pronoun and adverb changes in reported speech:

We have to say that in reported speech, pronouns are changed to show a change in speakers. Adjectives and adverbs are sometimes changed too. The use of this, that, these, those, now, then, here, and there depends on the time and place of the reported speech. Today, tomorrow, and yesterday may also change according to the time of the reported speech.

Let’s start with some examples about the pronouns, demonstrative pronouns and adjectives:

First, we’ll see examples of pronouns:

Mary said, "I need your work".

Mary said that she needed (needs) my work.

Mary said, “we must finish soon!".

Mary said that we had to (must) finish soon.

Erik said, "you have to finish immediately”.

Erik said that I have had to (have to) finish immediately.

Second, we`ll see examples of demonstrative pronouns and adjectives:

Mary said, "this is im­portant".

Mary said that that (this)was important.

Mary said, "these papers are important".

Mary said that those (these) papers were important.

Mary said, "these papers are important".

Mary said that those (these) papers were important.

Third, we’ll see examples of adverbs:

Mary said, "I need them now".

Mary said that she needed them then (now).

Mary said, "the papers are here".

Mary said that the papers were there (here).

Now, let’s talk about the verbs and modal auxiliaries that do not change in reported speech:

In certain cases of reported speech, no changes are made in verbs or modal auxiliaries. We’ll see some examples:

In the examples we’ll see “no tense changes”:

Like quotation:

Molly says, "Max is at home".

Like reported speech:

Molly says (that) Max is at home.

Like quotation:

Molly acids, "he hasn't finished his work yet".

Like reported speech:

Molly adds (that) he hasn't finished his work yet.

Note: Remember that in reported speech occurs when the verb in the main clause is in the present tense

In this example we’ll see an “optional tense changes”:

Like quotation:

Molly said, "Max is a hard worker”.

Like reported speech:

Molly said (that)Max was (is) a hard worker.

Like quotation:

Molly said, "he works very hard".

Like reported speech:

Molly said (that)he worked (works) very hard.

Notes:  We have to remember thatwhen the noun clause gives factual information that is always true, either present or past forms may be used.

In this example we’ll see “no change in modal auxiliars”:

Like quotation:

Molly said, "Max should finish soon”.

Like reported speech:

Molly said (that) max should finish soon.

Note: Don’t forgetthat could, might, ought to, should, and would are not normally changed in reported speech.

Like quotation:

Molly added, "he must be tired".

Like reported speech:

Molly added (that)he must be tired.

Note: We have to remember that must does not change when it expresses probability.

Like quotation:

She remarked, "he ought to have started sooner.

Like reported speech    :

She remarked (that) he ought to have started sooner.

Notes: We have to mention that perfect modals are not changed in reported speech.

One example more:

Molly said, "Max should finish soon.”

We’re going to talk a little bit of say and tell.

In general, we’re going to tell that say is used when the speaker is not mentioned.Tell is used when the speaker is mentioned. (we say something, but we tell someone something). We’ll compare:

Molly said that Max had 10 work.

Molly told me that Max had to work.

Now, let’s talk about changing commands to reported speech.

First, we’re going to start saying that commands must be changed to infinitives or to dependent clauses in reported speech. If a dependent clause is used, an appropriate noun or pronoun and modal or verb must be added to the command. We’ll see some examples:

Like command:

She said, "come at 8:00".

Like infinitive:

She said to come at 8:00.

*We’re going to discuss “infinitive phrases “in part three”.

Like reported speech:

She said that we should come at 8:00.

*Should is used frequently in reported commands. De­pending on the strength of the command, other forms may be used.

Like command:

She told us very firmly, "come at 8:00".

Like infinitive:

She told is very firmly to conic at 8:00.

Like reported speech:

She told us very firmly that we must come at 8:00.

*Part two: Noun clauses with if ad whether; noun clauses with question words.
Let’s continue with part two: Noun clauses with if ad whether; noun clauses with question words.

First, we’re going to begin with noun clauses with if, and whether.

When a yes/no question is changed to a noun clause, whether or if is used to introduce the clause whether is more common in forma writing, but both words are used regularly when speaking, for example:

Will he come?

I wonder whether he will come.

I wonder if he will come.

Note: Thesubject must come before the verb in the noun clause.

Now, let’s see more examples to improve the comprehension of this part:

Yes/no questions:

Is he coming?

Noun clauses with if, whether:

I wonder if he is coming.

Yes/no questions:

Has he left... yet?

Noun clauses with if, whether:

Do you know whether he has left, yet?

Yes/no questions:

Can he come?

Noun clauses with if, whether:

I wonder whether he can come.

Yes/no questions:

Does he want to come?

Noun clauses with if, whether:

Could you tell me if he wants to come?

Yes/no questions:

Did he arrive?

Noun clauses with if, whether:

I would like to know whether he arrived.

In second, we’re going to talk about noun clauses with question words.

Information questions may also be changed to noun clauses. Question words such as when, where, and how are used to introduce them. Let’s see some examples of each one:

Note: Remember that the subject must come before the verb in noun clauses.

Information questions:

Where is the library?

Noun clauses with question words:

I would like to know where the library is.

Information questions:

How can I find it?

Noun clauses with question words:

Please tell me how I can find it.

Information questions:

When does it close?

Noun clauses with question words:

Do you know when it closes?

Note: Don’t forget that noun clauses with ques­tion words are often used in polite requests, such as I would like to know or could you tell me and so forth.


*Part three: Clause to phrase reduction; review of clauses.
Let’s continue with the last part, part three: Clause to phrase reduction; review of clauses.

First, we’re going to talk about reduction of noun clauses to infinitive phrases.

To can understand better, we’re going to see the following examples:

Like quotations/ commands:

She said, "come early".

Like reported speech/ noun clauses:

She said that we should come early.

And like infinitive phrases:

She said to come early.

One example more:

Like quotations/ commands:

She told us, "come early”.

Like reported speech/ noun clauses:

She told us that we should come early.

And like infinitive phrases:

She toldus to come early.

She advisedus to come early.

Notes: We’re going to say that the infinitive expresses, we have the same meaning as should + verb. And also, we have the verbs advice, beg, com­mand, direct, encourage, order, urge, and warn follow the same pattern as tell in infinitive phrases. The in­direct object must be used.

Now, let’s see more examples:

In request for action:

She asked (us), "will you come early?"

In noun clauses:

She asked(us)if we would come early.

And in infinitive phrases:

She asked us to come early.

One example more:

In request for action:

She asked (us), "could you help me?"

In noun clauses:

She asked (us) whether we could help her.

In infinitive phrases:

She asked us to help her.

As a commentary, we’re going to say that requests with will you: “Can you ..., would you . . ., and could you . . . Can be reduced to infinitive phrases. The indirect object be used with the infinitive phrase.

We’re going to continue with more examples:

In requests for permission:

She asked (me), "could I speak to John?"

In noun clauses:

She asked (me) if she could speak to John.

In infinitive phrases:

She asked to speak to John.

Don’t forget that to request for permission with may I . . ., could I . . ., and can . . . Can be reduced to infinitive phrases. No indirect object is used.

Now, let’s talk about reduction of noun clauses to infinitive phrases using examples:

Like quotations- yes/no questions:

We asked (her), "should we leave now?"

Like reported speech/ noun clauses:

We asked (her) if we should leave then.

Like infinitive phrases:

We asked (her) whether(or not) to leave then.

Let’s see one example more:

Like quotations- yes/no questions:

We asked (her), "should we come six or at seven?"

Like reported speech/ noun clauses:

We asked (her) at whether we should come at six or at seven.

Like infinitive phrases:

We asked (her) whether to come at six or at seven.

Notes: Don’t forget that yes/no questions with modal auxiliaries may be reduced to infinitive phrases.Whether (or not)is always used with an infinitive form.

Note:The speaker and the subject of the question must be the same person(s).The in­direct object is not necessary.

Before to finish, we’re going to see more examples:

In information questions:

We asked (her), "I-low can we get to your house?"

In noun clauses:

We asked (her) how we could get to her house.

In infinitive phrases:

We asked (her) how to get to her house.

One example more:

In information questions:

We asked (her), "where should we park?"

In noun clauses:

We asked (her) where we should park.

In infinitive phrases:

We as ked (her) where to park.

Remember that information questions (with when, where, what, and how)may be reduced to infinitive phrases.

Note:Don’t forget that the speaker and the subject of the ques­tion must be the same per­son(s). The indirect object is not necessary.

That’s our lesson of today, I hope that you had learnt everything that we saw here. Have a nice day and see you in a next class, your friend Andrea.