by R. S. Karunaratne

Noun clauses with ‘Who’ and ‘What’

The noun clause is a subordinate clause that acts as a noun. It answers the question ‘What?’
In a relative clause the word ‘who’ refers back to the subject in the main clause. However, ‘who’ in a noun clause does not refer back to the subject in the main clause.
We use a noun clause beginning with ‘who’ to refer to people.
The director knows who spread the rumour.
Members can guess who will be in the committee.

Mary has decided who she is going to invite for her wedding.
I want to know who opened my letters.
Try to find out who she likes.

In a noun clause we use ‘who’ for a statement, not a question.

Amila knows who you are.
Tell me who they are.
I am not supposed to tell you who I voted for.
I can guess who took my bicycle.
I am beginning to wonder who you are working for.

In a noun clause we use ‘what’ for a statement, not a question.

Tell me what you want.
Please tell us what made you to apply for this job.
Some people don’t care what others think of them.
Tell your mother what makes you happy.
I remember what you told me.

We use a noun clause with ‘what’ to refer to things.

Tell me what you think of my plan.
She must have overheard what we were saying about her.
Mother can guess what her daughter is planning to do.
The security guard checked what the customer was carrying in his bag.

People do not know what happens to their deposits.

[Activity]

Fill in the blanks with ‘who’ or ‘what’. Check your answers with the key.

1. I understand ........... you said yesterday.
2. You have to know ................. you are good at.
3. We don’t know ............... can help us.
4. I know .............. I must talk to.
5. Never forget ................ brought you up.
6. She does not know ................ can help her.
7. Parents are anxious to know ................ teachers say about their children.
8. No one knows ................... I really want.
9. I don’t know ............... can help me in this matter.
10. The child wants to know ................ his real parents are.

Key:

1. what 2. what 3. who 4. who 5. who 6. who 7. what 8. what 9. who 10. who

Here is a quiz to expand your vocabulary. Read the words in bold type in each sentence and try to find their meanings. Check your answers with the key.

1. The child said that he had been abandoned by his parents.

(a) left permanently
(b) loved
(c) punished

2. Should we abolish the capital punishment?

(a) continue
(b) put an end to
(c) suspend

3. Justice and equality are abstract concepts.

(a) clear
(b) sacred
(c) based on general ideas

4. The government has acquired a 50 per cent stake in the new company.

(a) bought
(b) allowed
(c) withdrawn

5. Anti-war activists are going to hold a mass rally.

(a) those who work to bring down governments
(b) those who work to bring about policy changes
(c) those who work to support the government

6. The software can be adapted to suit our needs.

(a) reclaimed
(b) removed
(c) changed

7. The old methods are not adequate to meet current needs.

(a) enough
(b) fit
(c) favourable

8. Passes are allocated to those who apply for them.

(a) refused
(b) given
(c) posted

9. I want to make some alterations to my diet from next year.

(a) restrictions
(b) additions
(c) changes

10. The agreement between the two countries is very ambiguous .

(a) confusing
(b) clear
(c) satisfactory

11. The author of the book wants to remain anonymous .

(a) he wants to give his real name
(b) he doesn’t want to give his name
(c) he doesn’t want to be popular

12. The minister promised to take appropriate action.

(a) immediate
(b) stern
(c) suitable

Key:

1. (a) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (b) 6. (c) 7. (a) 8. (b) 9. (c) 10. (a) 11. (b) 12. (c)

Starters:

Differences between 'there is' and 'there are'

'There is' is always used with a singular subject. It is written in the simple present tense.
There is a beggar at the gate.
There is a dog under the table.
There is water in the jug.
There is a student in the classroom.
There is a dead fly in my cup of tea!
'There is' can be contracted as 'there's'
There's a baby in the cot.
There's a lion in the cage.

There's a ruler in my bag.

[Question form]

To form questions, reverse the word order in 'there is'.
Is there a cinema in this town?
Is there a dispensary close by?
Is there a police station nearby?
Is there a barber saloon in the town?
Is there a circus in this town?

'There is' can be followed by 'it is'.
There is a book on my table. It is red.
There is a house on the hill. It is small.
There is an apple on the table. It is ripe.
'There are' is always used with plural subjects. The sentence is written in the simple present tense.
There are 200 teachers in my school.
There are more than 5,000 elephants in Sri Lanka.
There are two trains at the railway station.
There are snakes in the garden.
There are many shoes in the shoe-rack.

Question form :

To form questions reverse the word order in 'there are'.
Are there any letters for me today?
Are there any biscuits in the box?
Are there any students in the class?
Are there any grammatical errors in my letter?

'There are' can be followed by 'they are'.
There are mangoes in the refrigerator. They are ripe.
There are roses in the garden. They are beautiful.
There are wild animals in the jungle. They are ferocious.
There are students in the classroom. They are punctual.

'It is' can be used to answer questions.
A: What's that building?
B: It's a bank.
A: What's in your hand?
B: It's a pen.
A: Where is the Odeon?
B: It's in Mount Lavinia.

'They are' can be used to answer questions.
A: What are those boxes?
B: They are lunch boxes.
A: Where are they?
B: They are here.
A: Who are they?
B: They are lawyers.
A: How are the roads?
B: They are good.

[Activity ]

Make sentences using 'there is' and 'there are' and the following groups of words.

Check your answers with the key.

1. in / seven / a week / days
..........................................................

2. in / 50 / the / US / states
..........................................................

3. in / 15 / team / rugby / a / players
..........................................................

4. in / 9 / system / solar / the / planets
..........................................................

5. in / 26 / alphabet / English / the / let ters
..........................................................

Key:

1. There are seven days in a week.
2. There are 50 states in the US.
3. There are 15 players in a rugby team.
4. There are 9 planets in the solar system.
5. There are 26 letters in the English alphabet.