How to identify a noun clause

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He told me about the cancellation of the match

He told me that the match had been cancelled Cancellation is a noun, that the match had been cancelled is a clause (it has a finite verb) The clause is doing the same work as the noun, so it is called a noun clause Like any noun, a noun clause can be the subject or (far more usually) object of a verb, or the complement of the verb be or some of the verbs related to be, such as seem and appear I know that the match will be cancelled (object) That the match will be cancelled is now certain (subject of be)

Noun clauses derived from statements

Noun clauses derived from statements are usually that-clauses (sometimes what -clauses), though the conjunction that is often omitted Look at the following statement Money doesn t grow on trees

1 The sentence

By putting that in front of a statement, we turn it into a subordinate noun clause which can be joined to another clause As such, it will do the same work as a noun and can be used as follows

Noun clause as the subject of a verb

Money doesn t grow on trees This should be obvious

That money doesn't grow on trees should be obvious

We tend to avoid this construction, preferring to begin with It, followed

by be seem, etc

It is obvious (that) money doesn't grow on trees Such clauses are not objects, but are 'in apposition' to the 'preparatory subject' it [> 4.13] That cannot be omitted at the beginning of a sentence, but can be left out after many adjectives [> App 44] and a few nouns such as (it' s) a pity a shame

Noun clause as the object of a verb

That is often omitted before a noun clause which is the object of a verb,

especially in informal style

Everybody knows (that) money doesn't grow on trees

After many verbs (e g believe know think) the use of that is optional After some verbs (e g answer imply) that is generally required That is also usual after 'reporting verbs', such as assure inform, which require an indirect object [> App 45.2] That is usually obligatory in longer sentences, especially when the f/iaf-clause is separated from the verb

The dealer told me how much he was prepared to pay for my car

and that I could have the money without delay

A that-clause cannot follow a preposition

He boasted about his success = He boasted that he was successful

However, a preposition is not dropped before a noun clause that

begins with a question-word [> 1.24.2]

He boasted about how successful he was