Sentence Complexity and Embedding

Subordinate Noun Clauses

Activity 15.5: Noun Clause Structure

Determine the grammaticality of these sentences.  Put an asterisk in front of the sentences that you find ungrammatical.  What does this show you about noun clauses?

1. We saw that the answer was wrong.
2. We saw the answer was wrong.

3. She doubted that I could lift a Hummer.
4. She doubted I could lift a Hummer.

5. That he stole a necklace is indisputable.
6. He stole a necklace is indisputable.

7. That I could lift a Hummer surprised everyone.
8. I could lift a Hummer surprised everyone.

9. I asked whether he liked fish.
10. I asked he liked fish.

11. Whether he likes fish is not important.
12. He likes fish is not important.

Rule:

Answers

Activity 15.5 shows more details about the subordinating conjunctions in noun clauses.  First, we learn that sometimes the subordinating conjunction can be deleted from the sentence, but it can’t always be deleted.  It can’t be deleted if the noun clause functions as the subject of the matrix clause.  Nor can it be deleted if the conjunction is if or whether.  Now look at the sentences in Activity 15.6 to see what else can happen with noun clauses.

Activity 15.6: Reported Speech Structure

Study these sentences.  What is the difference between the first sentence and the second sentence in each pair?

2. He said that he hated her.
1. He said, “I hate you.”

4. I asked if Polly wanted a cracker.
3. I asked, “Does Polly want a cracker?”

6. Helen shouted that she would be on me like white on rice.
5. Helen shouted, “I will be on you like white on rice!”

8. He wondered if the Twins had won the game.
7. He wondered, “Did the Twins win the game?”

Answers

Direct and Indirect Speech

Activity 15.6 features pairs of sentences with essentially the same meaning.  Both sentences report the content of someone else’s words.  The first sentence of each pair uses a typical noun clause structure to accomplish this, including the subordinating conjunction that or if.  The second sentence uses different sort of noun clause, one that captures the exact original words of the speaker.

Two major features create difficulties for ELs in working with sentences that report speech.  One involves the tense system.  Note that there is a sort of “backshift” of tense between the sentence showing the exact words of the speaker, the direct speech sentence, and the sentence that shows the speech indirectly.  If the original words were in simple present, they shift to simple past in the indirect speech sentence.  If the original words were simple past, they backshift to past perfect in indirect speech.

A second major change is a shift in pronouns.  The direct speech sentence reports the exact pronouns as used by the speaker.  The indirect speech sentence shifts from the point of view of the original speaker to the point of view of the author of the written sentence, and the pronouns shift along with the shift in point of view.

In addition, it is important to teach the proper use of commas and quotations marks when teaching direct and indirect speech sentences.  The punctuation rules aren’t difficult, but may be different than the rules of the native language.

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