Nominal (noun) clauses
A nominal clause is a dependent clause that functions as a noun phrase in a sentence. It can be used as a subject, a direct object, an indirect object, a subject complement, an object of a preposition, or an appositive.
Here are some examples of nominal clauses:
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Subject (nominal clause): What I want is to be happy.
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Direct object (nominal clause): I know that you are right.
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Indirect object (nominal clause): She explained to whoever would listen.
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Subject complement (nominal clause): The fact that he is innocent is clear. Her goal is to find out what went wrong.
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Object complement (nominal clause): They appointed her as whoever shows the most dedication.
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Object of the preposition (nominal clause): He has a strong opinion about whether the project will succeed.
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Appositive: The idea, we should go to the movies, is a good one.
Nominal clauses can be introduced by a variety of words, including:
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Wh-words: what, who, whom, which, when, where, why, how
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*That
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*Whether
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*If
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*Whether or not
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*As if
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*As though
Here are some more examples of nominal clauses with their introductory words:
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Wh-word clauses: I wonder what you want.
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That clauses: I know that you are right.
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Whether clauses: I am not sure whether to go.
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If clauses: I will do it if you ask me.
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Whether or not clauses: I don’t care whether or not you come.
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As if clauses: She spoke as if she knew everything.
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As though clauses: He looked as though he had seen a ghost.
Nominal clauses can be used to add variety and complexity to your writing. They can also be used to make your sentences more concise and efficient.
Here are some tips for using nominal clauses effectively:
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Use nominal clauses to replace nouns when you want to add more information or to make your sentence more concise.
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Be sure to use the correct introductory word for the type of nominal clause you are creating.
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Make sure that the nominal clause is grammatically correct and that it makes sense in the context of the sentence.