NOMINAL CLAUSES IN ENGLISH (INTRODUCED BY THAT, FOR TO AND ING) are subordinate clauses functioning as nouns or noun phrases.

s. That is, they take the position of Subject, Object, Complement, etc. in a clause. are introduced by: 1. the relative pronoun that 2. relative adverbs: how, why, when, where 3. subordinating conjunctions: if, whether There are four main kinds of noun clauses in English: 1. That- clause: I know that you will soon leave me. 2. Wh-clause (relative): When he does his homework, is his problem. 3. Infinitive clause: Our plan is to catch the early train. 4. Ing clause: You are in danger of making a bad mistake.

1. THAT- Clauses That-clauses are noun clauses; they can be: a) Subject: That all of them are happy is visible. b) Object: It is strange that they did not come at all. That can be a conjunction which introduces that-clauses or a relative pronoun which introduces a defining relative clause (i.e. that = who or which) That- clauses usually follow: a) certain adjectives: afraid that, sorry that, angry that, surprised that, happy that, pleased that, certain that, clear that, likely that, obvious that, true that: e.g. I am happy that you have arrived safely. * It is important that, it is necessary that, it is essential that can be followed by the basic form of the verb or should: b) Its essential that the parcel (should) arrive safely. 2. Certain abstract nouns: fact, belief, news (as modifiers in a Noun Phrase): e.g. The news that he was resigning from his job shocked us. We can omit that in all positions, except when the that goes at the beginning of the sentence or when the that- clause is after an abstract noun: e.g. That he murdered him does not prove anything. I know (that) he is a good boy. It is a pity (that) he leaves us.

2. WH- CLAUSE/RELATIVE CLAUSE is a subordinate clause which modifies a N or a NP and which begins with a Wh-word: e.g. What he does with his money does not interest me. I wonder what he does with his money. People who smoke annoy me.

The book which I am reading is interesting. Relative clauses generally follow nouns. Wh-clauses which are relative clauses begin with who/whom/whose or which as relative pronouns, or when or where as relative adverbs: e.g. People who work in offices should take plenty of exercise. The dining room, which we have recently repainted, is the nicest room in the house. Relative clauses can be: a) Defining/Restrictive Relative Clauses = a clause which gives additional information about a N or NP in a sentence. A defining relative clause restricts or helps to define the meaning of the noun. It usually begins with who, which, whom, whose, or that and in written English it is not separated from the noun by a comma: e.g. The man whom you met is my uncle. The woman that you want to speak to has left. b) Non-Defining/Restrictive Relative Clauses = gives additional information but which does not restrict or define the N or NP. In writing, it is separated by a comma: e.g. My uncle, who is 64, still plays football. 3. INFINITIVE CLAUSE: e.g. I am sorry to have spelt your name wrongly (Infinitive Clause). I am sorry that I have spelt your name wrongly. (That-clause) a) ADJECTIVE + TO + VERB Adjectives: able to, afraid to, anxious to, ashamed to, careful to, certain to, content to, delighted to, determined to, due to, eager to, fit to, free to, glad to, keen to, likely to, nice to, ready to, sure to, surprised to, thankful to, willing to, wise to, worried to. e.g. We are delighted to meet you. It is difficult to park these big cars. These big cars are difficult to park. 4. ING CLAUSE: = a subordinate clause which, after a noun or a pronoun is similar to a relative clause: e.g. All the people eating in the restaurant were tourists. (ing-clause) All the people who were eating in the restaurant were tourists. (relative clause) Differences between ing clauses and to-infinitive clauses: a) a to-infinitive never follows a preposition, but an ing clause often does. b) Id love to visit the country but Ive got to stay here in the city ( describes a possible action) I love visiting the country. Its so nice, walking and getting some fresh air. (describes the actual performance of the action) - the same for the verbs: to like, to dislike, to hate, to prefer, etc. c) For the verbs remember, forget, regret, to-infinitives are used for future or present events:

e.g. Dont forget to lock the door this evening (nu uita s nchizi) - ing clauses are used to talk about past events: e.g. Ill never forget getting lost when we were climbing in the Alps last year. (nu pot uita cnd m-am pierdut) d) With the verbs begin, start, continue, cease, there is often little/no difference: e.g. Iris started to work at the post office last Monday. Iris started working at the post office last Monday.

Bibliography Grady, William O. Contemporary Linguistics. An Introduction . London and New York: Longman, 1996. Leech, Geoffrey. A-Z of English Grammar and Usage. Longman: England, 1989. Quirk, R. A Grammar of Contemporary English. Longman Group Ltd.: William Clowes & Sons ltd. Beccles & London, 1990. tefanovici, A., T. Iacu. A Course in English Morphology and Syntax (Vol I). Editura Univ. Petru Maior: Tg. Mure, 2000. tefanovici, A., T. Iacu. A Course in English Morphology and Syntax (Vol II). Editura Univ. Petru Maior: Tg. Mure, 2001.