More about noun clauses – part 2

A noun clause can be used in apposition to a noun or a pronoun. Study the following sentences.

• Your statement that you didn’t take the money can’t be believed.
• His belief that someday he would succeed cheered him through his failures.
• The news that he is alive made us happy.
• The belief that the soul is immortal is almost universal.

Noun clause as the complement of a verb of incomplete predication

In each of the following sentences the noun clause is used as the complement of a verb of incomplete predication.

• My belief is that he will come.
• It seems that he will top the list of successful candidates.

How to construct a sentence having a noun clause?

Making a sentence having a noun clause is very easy. One way is to begin a sentence like this:

He said that…

Whatever clause you put after ‘that’ will automatically become a noun clause.

• He said that he would come.
• He said that he would wait.
• He said that he was not interested in the offer.

Instead of ‘said’ you can use any of the following verbs:

Know, believe, think, realize, feel, hope, understand, wish, see, notice, find, discover, note, hear, listen, tell, ask, request, explain, suggest, reply etc.

• She suggested that I should consult a doctor.
• I realized that I had made a mistake.
• I believe that the soul is immortal.
• I discovered that the boy was missing.

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