Before we begin noun clauses, let's briefly review what direct objects are. The direct object is a word, phrase, or clause that follows and receives the action of a verb. It is what the verb is being done to. The direct object answers the question "what?"

  • John wrote the story.

"The story" is written by John, and is the thing that is being acted upon. It answers the "what" (what did John write?) Here are some more examples of direct objects.

mechanic

My dad fixed his car.

museum

We visited the museum yesterday.

Noun Clauses as Direct Objects

Noun clauses can also act as direct objects. They are often introduced using the subordinators:

  • that
  • what
  • whom
  • whomever
  • how

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Exercises

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