How the noun clause, adjective clause, and adverb clause differ

HERE’S a very interesting question raised by Forum member Pipes sometime ago on how to distinguish between noun clauses, adjective clauses, and adverb clauses in English:

“I would just like to consult you with regard to this sentence: ‘It is believed that computers will make a tremendous impact in today’s education.’

“Am I right that ‘that computers will make a tremendous impact in today’s education’ is a noun clause? And if so, how do you distinguish a noun clause from an adjective clause and from an adverb clause?”

My reply to Pipes:

Yes, in that sentence you presented, the grammatical construction “that computers will make a tremendous impact in today’s education” is a noun clause. It serves as the direct object of the verb “believed,” meaning that it receives the action of that verb.

is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate that functions as a member of a complex or compound sentence. It works as a relative clause when it is introduced by the relative pronouns “that” or “who” or by the interrogative word “why,” “where,” or “when.” It can then serve in the sentence in any of these three ways: as a noun clause, as an adjective clause, and as an adverb clause.

Relative clause as a noun clause. It functions as such when it serves as the subject or as the direct object of the sentence, as in the following examples:

1. Noun clause as subject of the sentence: “That the accused will be vindicated in the trial is not a certainty.” (The noun clause is “that the accused will be vindicated in the trial.”)

2. Noun clause as direct object in the sentence: “The woman claims that she is being harassed by her former employer.” (The noun clause is “that she is being harassed by her former employer.”)

Note that the sentence you presented, “It is believed that computers will make a tremendous impact in today’s education,” follows the same construction pattern as Example #2 above, with the noun clause “that computers will make a tremendous impact in today’s education” serving as direct object of the verb “claims.”

Relative clause as an adjective clause. It functions as such if it serves to modify a noun or pro-

or gives additional information about the subject or the object receiving the action in a sentence. As such, it works either as a dependent or subordinate clause, linking itself to the main clause by making use of the relative pronouns “that,” which,” “who,” “whom,” or “whose” or of the pronoun “when” or “where.”

The adjective clause can function in any of these three ways:

1. As an adjective clause modifying the subject in the main clause: “People who have extensively traveled abroad usually have a broad world view.” (Here, the adjective clause “who have exten-

the subject “people.”)

2. As an adjective clause modifying the object of the verb: “The lawyers couldn’t agree on several terms that will be used in their legal brief.” (Here, the adjective clause “that will be used in their legal brief” modifies the direct object “terms.”)

3. As an adjective clause serving as object of the preposition: “The letter was delivered to whom it was addressed.” (Here, the adjective clause “whom it was addressed” is the object of the preposition “to.”)

Relative clause as an adverb clause. It functions as such when it

- jective, or another adverb in the sentence, as in the following example:

“The expedition failed to land where they intended to

the adverb clause “where they intended to make the scientific

(Next: How to reduce an adverb clause to an adverb phrase)