Noun Clauses, Direct and Indirect Speech

introduction

Uses of noun clauses

Clauses can act as subjects, objects or complements, just like noun phrases. Clauses used like this are called ‘noun clauses’. Compare:

• The departure date doesn’t matter. (noun phrase subject)
  When we leave doesn’t matter. (noun clause subject)
• I told them a lie. (noun phrase object)
  I told them that I knew nothing about it. (noun clause object)
• The main thing is your happiness. (noun phrase complement)
  The main thing is that you’re happy. (noun clause complement)

Noun clauses begin with that and with question-words like when, where or who. They are common in indirect speech, where they can also begin with if and whether.

Direct and indirect speech

When we report people’s words, thoughts, beliefs, etc, we can give the exact words (more or less) that were said, or that we imagine were thought. This kind of structure is called ‘direct speech’ (though it is used for reporting thoughts as well as speech).

• So he said, ‘I want to go home,’ and just walked out.
• She asked, ‘What do you want?’
• And then I thought, ‘Does he really mean it?’

We can also make somebody’s words or thoughts part of our own sentence, by using conjunctions with noun clauses, and changing pronouns, tenses and other words where necessary. This kind of structure is called ‘indirect speech’ or ‘reported speech’.

• So he said that he wanted to go home, and just walked out.
• She asked what I wanted.
• And then I wondered whether he really meant it.

These two structures cannot normally be mixed.

• She said to me, ‘I’ve lost my keys’.
• or She said to me that she had lost her keys.
• (but not She said to me that I have lost my keys.)

note

For punctuation in direct speech, (see here), (see here).

For reporting verbs and word order, (see here).

Rules for indirect speech

In many languages, indirect speech structures follow special rules and may have special tenses or verb forms. In English, the tenses in indirect speech are mostly the same as in other structures. Compare:

• He was happy and he didn’t want to go home.
• He said he was happy and didn’t want to go home.
• He stayed out because he was happy and didn’t want to go home.

So there is no need for learners to memorise complicated rules for the ‘sequence of tenses’ in indirect speech, or to practise converting direct speech to indirect speech. (Native speakers don’t do this when they are reporting what people say or think.) In a few cases tense use follows special rules: (see here).

This Section deals with direct speech, indirect speech and other uses of noun clauses.

Do you know what’s wrong with these, and why?

‘You monster!’ screamed she. (see here)

James wanted to go home because he doesn’t like that party. (see here)

She told me that it has been a wonderful trip. (see here)

He wanted to know what did I need. (see here)

We asked where the money was? (see here)

I am not certain if I see her tomorrow. (see here)

The driver said whether I wanted the town centre. (see here)

There was a big argument about if we should move. (see here)

They can’t decide if to get married. (see here)

‘Are you happy?’ ‘If I’m happy?’ (see here)

I suggested him to try a different approach. (see here)

The secretary said me not to park there. (see here)

The Greeks thought that the sun goes round the earth. (see here)

That she was foreign made it difficult for her to get a job. (see here)

The judge paid no attention to that she had just lost her husband. (see here)

Who do you think that is outside? (see here)

He replied he was feeling better. (see here)

He disagreed with Copernicus’ view the earth went round the sun. (see here)