Go
Grammar
Vocabulary
Lesson plans
Video listening
Audio listening
Reading
Exam prep
Kids
Go
Home
/
Grammar exercises
/
Clauses
/
Noun clauses 1
NOUN CLAUSES 1
level: Intermediate (B1/B2)
✓ Useful for TOEFL
A noun clause can serve as the object of a verb such as
know
or
ask
. When it contains an embedded question, it normally uses statement word order. This exercise practices that pattern.
Choose the correct noun clause to complete each sentence.
1.
John asked me ________________.
where was his wallet
where his wallet was
Correct answer:
where his wallet was
— noun clause uses statement word order —
his wallet was
, not
was his wallet
.
2.
I couldn't tell him ________________.
where was I
where I was
Correct answer:
where I was
— noun clause uses statement word order —
I was
, not
was I
.
3.
I don't know ________________.
how many children he has
how many children does he have
Correct answer:
how many children he has
— noun clause uses statement word order —
he has
, not
does he have
.
4.
________________ is not important.
How close we are
How close are we
Correct answer:
How close we are
— noun clause as subject — statement word order:
we are
, not
are we
.
5.
________________ was sad.
What did she say
What she said
Correct answer:
What she said
— noun clause as subject — statement word order:
she said
, not
did she say
.
6.
We are not responsible for ________________.
what our children say
what do our children say
Correct answer:
what our children say
— noun clause after preposition — statement word order:
our children say
.
7.
Is it true ________________ about you?
what did he say
what he said
Correct answer:
what he said
— noun clause after
true
— statement word order:
he said
.
8.
I'm not going to tell you ________________.
what should you do
what you should do
Correct answer:
what you should do
— noun clause — statement word order:
you should do
.
9.
I wonder if ________________ from Germany.
is he
he is
Correct answer:
he is
— noun clause after
if
— statement word order:
he is
, not
is he
.
10.
The teacher told us ________________ our finished exams.
where we should leave
where should we leave
Correct answer:
where we should leave
— noun clause — statement word order:
we should leave
.
—
Check answers
Try again
Grammar review
A
noun clause
is a clause that works like a noun in a sentence, as the subject, the object of a verb or preposition, or the complement. Noun clauses often begin with words like
that, if, whether, what, who, when, where, why,
and
how
.
The rule tested in every question here:
even when a noun clause is based on a question, it keeps normal
statement word order
, subject before verb. It does
not
flip into question word order the way a real question does.
✗
John asked me
where was his wallet
.
✓
John asked me
where his wallet was
.
This holds no matter what role the noun clause plays in the sentence: as the object of a verb (
I don't know what he wants
), the subject (
What she said was sad
), or the object of a preposition (
We aren't responsible for what you do
).
KEEP PRACTICING — MORE EXERCISES FOR YOU:
Noun clauses 2
(I)
Noun clauses 3
(I)
Adverb or noun clause? 1
(A)
Adjective clauses 1
(I)
What or that? 1
(I)
Premium Resources
Business English Conversations
Online course
›
visit our famous
ESL SHOP
for affordable teaching
& learning materials
More great stuff
American idioms
Phrasal verbs
Varieties of English
Travel English
Language-specific grammar
Our other sites
BusinessEnglishSite.com
EnglishForMyJob.com
LearnSpanishFeelGood.com
Connect & follow
About us
/
Cookie & privacy policy
/ Contact: info (at) learnenglishfeelgood.com
© 2006–2026
LearnEnglishFeelGood.com
unless otherwise stated. Reposting our content online is
not allowed
. See our
content policy
.
