Reducing & Rephrasing Noun Clauses 👩‍🏫 Advanced Grammar with JenniferESL

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Okay. Let's start our advanced grammar lesson.

Do you know what a bucket list is? It's a list of things you want to do before you die.

I think that many of us have one. Some lists are longer than others.

I don't know whether I'll get to do everything on my list,

but I sure hope that I'll get the chance to do as many as possible.

In this lesson, I'll tell you a few things on my bucket list.

Then you can share some of your wishes, and I'll offer some advice on how you can make your wishes come true.

Sound good?

Take a closer look at my text. I'd like you to find examples of noun clauses. I'll point you in the right direction.

First, find noun clauses starting with the word "that.'"

See them? There are two. I think that many of us have one.

I sure hope that I'll get the chance to do as many as possible.

This other clause, by the way, is an adjective clause. It starts with the word "that."

But the clause answers the question "which?" or "what kind?"

What kind of things? Things that you want to do before you die.

Noun clauses answer the question "what?"

What do you think? I think that many of us have one.

What do you hope?

I sure hope that I'll get the chance to do as many as possible.

And each clause has a subject and a verb, right?

Now look for two noun clauses that function as embedded questions.

See them? Here they are.

Each clause has a subject and a verb.

In the first clause, the question word is the subject.

All three of these noun clauses

function as objects.

Know what?

What don't you know?

Advice on what?

Do you remember how those embedded questions were formed?

"Whether" is like "if." These words start noun clauses that function as embedded questions.

Yes-no questions.

Will I get to do everything on my list?

I don't know whether I'll get to do everything on my list. Or

I don't know if I'll get to do everything on my list.

Remember embedded questions use statement word order:

subject + verb.

Compare.

How can you make your wishes come true?

I'll offer some advice on how you can make your wishes come true.

In this lesson, I'd like to tell you how and when we can shorten noun clauses.

Some call this reduction. To be honest, when I talk about reducing clauses, I usually think about reducing

adjective clauses and adverb clauses.

Those clauses can shorten and become phrases with participles. If you'd like to review how that's done,

look in the video description

for links to those playlists.

Right now with noun clauses

we'll explore alternative wording that can help you be more concise. If you want to call that reduction, that's fine.

I think of it more as

paraphrasing.

Watch how my text can change and become more concise.

To make these changes, you need to understand how noun clauses function in a sentence.

"That"-clauses start with "that." Then they have a subject and a verb.

I think that many of us have one.

Very often we use "that"-clauses as direct objects, objects of verbs.

But "that"- clauses can also function as subjects and

complements.

That he managed to do everything on his bucket list is admirable.

Note that use of a "that"- clause as a subject is less common in conversation.

However, I would say "the fact that."

The fact that he managed to do everything on his bucket list is admirable.

My hope is that all manage to do everything too.

It's exciting that I can finally cross something off my bucket list.

It's my hope that we can do something on my list together.

Sometimes we can shorten the noun clause by dropping the word "that."

But this is only possible when the noun clause is an object or a

complement. In other words, when it's in the middle or the end of a sentence. We never omit the word "that"

when the noun clause is the subject of the sentence.

Dropping the word "that" is most common when the noun clause is the object of the verb, a direct object.

"That"-clauses as direct objects are used with certain groups of verbs, for example,

verbs of perception -- verbs about thinking and feeling.

These verbs include: know, think, guess, believe, feel, hope,

see, and hear.

Verbs for speaking or reporting information.

Common examples include: say, agree, suggest, complain.

Being concise is good.

Right? Does that mean we should always omit the word "that" when the noun clause is in the middle or the end of the sentence?

No. Here are some guidelines.

Omitting the word "that" is very common in conversation and in everyday writing,

especially when the subjects are the same in both clauses. For example: I hope I'll see you again.

It's a little less common to omit the word "that" when there's a noun or a pronoun

between the main verb and the that clause.

I promised my teacher that I would turn in my assignment the next day.

She warned me that my final grade might suffer.

It's possible to omit the word "that" in both cases here.

But particularly in the second, I wouldn't because the subjects and the two clauses are different.

For similar reasons, if there's some kind of long interrupting phrase between the main verb and the that clause,

the speaker may choose to keep the word "that."

I think, for the sake of everyone concerned, that we should meet a second time and discuss this matter further.

You might also note that the tone of this example is a little more formal; that could also be a factor.

When the main verb is in the passive, we usually keep the word "that."

We were told that no more seats were available.

For clarity,

you probably will not omit the word "that" when you have to that clauses joined by coordinating

conjunction like "and."

I know that you're wondering about the future and that you're worried about financials security.

But you can definitely omit the word "that" when one that clause is part of another.

I know we agreed it would be better to wait, but I don't want to miss this opportunity.

Would you omit "that" in these sentences? Take a look.

In 1, you could keep it or omit it. I'd omit it.

The subjects are different, but we often drop the word "that" with common verbs like: say, think, believe.

Also, the two clauses aren't very long, so that's another factor.

In 2, I would not omit the word "that." The main verb is in the passive.

In 3, I would not omit "that." I'd keep it because there's separation between the main clause and the noun clause.

In 4, I also would not drop the word "that." We have long

clauses and the two noun clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction.

It's easier for the reader to understand the sentence structure if we keep "that."

How else can we be more concise?

Well, sometimes it's possible to change the verb of the "that"-clause to a gerund or infinitive.

As you know, some verbs take gerunds, and others take infinitives.

If you're familiar with these patterns, it will be easier for you to make good word choices.

Here's the grammar for some verbs you should know already.

Review the patterns.

verb + gerund

verb + preposition + gerund

verb + infinitive

These verbs can also be followed by a "that"-clause.

He admitted that he didn't know.

We complained that we had no money.

They claimed that they had traveled the world.

Don't assume that use of an infinitive or a gerund is always more conversational than a noun clause with "that."

For example, the perfect infinitive in the last example

sounds rather formal to my ears.

Let's change the wording in a few sentences together.

I suggest that you make a list of everything you want to do.

I suggest making a list.

Don't pretend that you understand all my wishes.

Don't pretend to understand.

Someone told me that I should identify the most realistic plans first.

Someone told me to identify.

She confessed that she had an actual bucket list written on paper.

She confessed we need a little help here. We'll use a preposition.

She confessed to having an actual bucket list written on paper.

Okay. We've studied that clauses. Now let's talk about embedded questions, another type of noun clause.

Embedded questions can also have different functions.

They can function as subjects, objects, and complements. Take a look.

How you live your life is up to you.

A trip to Peru is what I want.

I don't know whether I'll get to do everything on my list.

I'll offer some advice on how you can make your wishes come true.

I'm not sure if I can make this happen.

Embedded questions begin with question words: how, when, where, who, what, whether, if.

You know that sometimes we can omit "that" from "that"-clauses.

But we can never omit question words from embedded questions.

Instead, we can shorten an embedded question with the help of an infinitive.

But this is only possible when there's a meaning of "should" or "could" --

obligation or possibility.

Look at this example: I'll offer some advice on how you can make your wishes come true.

I'll offer some advice on how to make your wishes come true.

Which embedded questions can be shortened to an infinitive? Take a look and think about it.

We can shorten sentences three, four, and five.

How to find.

Where to go.

When to book.

How did you do on that task? Do you know that I really do want to go whale watching? That's on my bucket list.

It's also my dream to visit Australia and enjoy a wonderful meal prepared by a famous chef.

What's on your bucket list? Tell me in the comments and try to make use of a noun clause.

My advice is to make a bucket list and then decide what's realistic and what isn't.

I also think it's a good idea to identify dreams you share with loved ones so that you can realize them together.

My final piece of advice is don't wait forever.

You'll regret not doing something if the opportunity was in front of you and you simply lacked the courage to try.

Let's end here.

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