That-Clauses and Wh-Noun Clauses

What you’ll learn

Use clauses as subjects, objects, and complements.

ប្រើ noun clause ជាប្រធាន កម្មបទ ឬបំពេញន័យ។

Meaning and use

A noun clause can fill a role often filled by a noun phrase. That introduces a proposition; a wh-clause can express information such as what someone needs or where someone went. Embedded wh-clauses use statement order. What can include the meaning the thing that; do not add an unnecessary antecedent.

Noun clause អាចធ្វើជាប្រធាន កម្មបទ ឬបំពេញន័យ។ That-clause បង្ហាញសេចក្ដីថ្លែង។ Wh-clause ប្រើលំដាប់ប្រធានមុនកិរិយាសព្ទ មិនដូចសំណួរផ្ទាល់។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Content clause	I believe that she is right.
Wh-clause	What she needs is unclear. / I know where he lives.

Examples

1. That she arrived early surprised everyone.

   ការដែលនាងមកដល់មុនធ្វើឱ្យគ្រប់គ្នាភ្ញាក់ផ្អើល។

2. I understand why you are concerned.

   ខ្ញុំយល់ថាហេតុអ្វីអ្នកបារម្ភ។

3. What he said changed my opinion.

   អ្វីដែលគាត់និយាយបានផ្លាស់ប្ដូរយោបល់ខ្ញុំ។

4. The problem is that we lack time.

   បញ្ហាគឺយើងខ្វះពេល។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Do you know where the documents are?

Maly: Yes, but what we need first is permission to use them.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
I know why did she leave.	I know why she left.	An embedded wh-clause uses statement order.
The thing what I need is time.	What I need is time.	In standard English, use fused what alone or the thing that.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete: ___ he said was helpful. Use a fused wh-word.
2. Correct: I cannot explain how does it work.
3. Identify the clause role: I believe that she is right.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. What

   What he said means the thing that he said.

2. I cannot explain how it works.

   Remove do-support and use statement order.

3. The that-clause is the complement of believe.

   It expresses the content of the belief.

Quick recap

• Content clause: I believe that she is right.
• Wh-clause: What she needs is unclear. / I know where he lives.