Pariksha SaathiClauses (Noun, Adjective, Adverb)
A clause has its own subject and verb — a main (independent) clause can stand alone as a sentence, while a subordinate (dependent) clause cannot, and plays the role of a noun, an adjective, or an adverb inside the sentence instead. Here’s the rule, six fully worked examples, and a few to try yourself.
Written by Mahesh Srivastava, Founder of Pariksha Saathi. Published: 2026-10-05. Editorial standards & corrections
The rule, quickly
- A Noun Clause does the job of a noun — as a subject, object, or complement — and often starts with that/what/who/whether/why ("I know THAT HE IS HONEST").
- An Adjective (Relative) Clause describes a noun, usually starting with who/which/that/whom/whose, and sits right after the noun it describes ("The man WHO STOLE MY WALLET was arrested").
- An Adverb Clause modifies the verb, showing time, reason, condition, contrast or place, and usually starts with words like because/although/if/when/while/before/since ("She left BEFORE THE MEETING ENDED").
- To identify the type, ask what job the clause is doing: naming a thing (noun), describing a noun (adjective), or answering when/why/how/where/under what condition (adverb).
- A "that"-clause is especially easy to misclassify: it’s a Noun Clause when it names a fact and could be swapped for "it" ("That he lied is obvious" → "It is obvious"), but an Adjective Clause when it directly follows and describes a noun like "belief," "claim" or "news" ("The belief that the earth is flat...").
Worked examples
1. In the sentence "I know that he is honest," identify the type of the clause "that he is honest."
Solution
- It answers "what do I know?" — it names the thing known, acting as the object of the verb "know."
- A clause that functions as a noun (subject, object, or complement) is a Noun Clause.
Answer: Noun clause
2. In the sentence "The man who stole my wallet was arrested," identify the type of the clause "who stole my wallet."
Solution
- It describes the noun "man," telling us which man is meant.
- A clause that describes a noun, usually starting with who/which/that/whom/whose, is an Adjective (Relative) Clause.
Answer: Adjective clause
3. In the sentence "She left before the meeting ended," identify the type of the clause "before the meeting ended."
Solution
- It tells us WHEN she left, modifying the verb "left."
- A clause that modifies a verb by showing time, reason, condition, or place is an Adverb Clause.
Answer: Adverb clause
4. Identify the main (independent) clause in the sentence "Although it was raining, the match continued."
Solution
- "Although it was raining" cannot stand alone as a complete sentence — it is the subordinate (adverb) clause.
- "The match continued" can stand alone as a complete sentence — that is the main clause.
Answer: The match continued
5. In the sentence "That the earth is round is a well-known fact," identify the type of the clause "that the earth is round."
Solution
- The clause is the subject of the sentence and could be replaced by "it" ("It is a well-known fact") — that makes it a Noun Clause, not a description of any noun.
Answer: Noun clause
6. In the sentence "The belief that the earth is flat was common in ancient times," identify the type of the clause "that the earth is flat."
Solution
- The clause directly follows and describes the noun "belief" — it cannot simply replace the whole sentence with "it," so it is an Adjective Clause, not a Noun Clause.
Answer: Adjective clause
Try these yourself
Decide what job the clause is doing in the sentence — and for a "that"-clause, whether it names a fact or describes a noun — then check against the answer.
1. In the sentence "What she said surprised everyone," identify the type of the clause "what she said."
Answer: Noun clause
2. In the sentence "This is the house where I was born," identify the type of the clause "where I was born."
Answer: Adjective clause
3. In the sentence "He will succeed if he works hard," identify the type of the clause "if he works hard."
Answer: Adverb clause
4. In the sentence "I am aware that you are busy," identify the type of the clause "that you are busy."
Answer: Noun clause
5. In the sentence "The news that she had resigned shocked everyone," identify the type of the clause "that she had resigned."
Answer: Adjective clause
All 11 practice questions on Clauses (Noun, Adjective, Adverb), with answers →
Where this comes up
Clauses is tested directly in the English Language section of exams Pariksha Saathi covers — SSC CGL, SSC MTS, SSC CHSL, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI PO and SBI Clerk — usually as an "identify the clause" or sentence-structure question.
Keep practising
Solve the questions above before opening the answers. Explain each step in your own words, then revisit any mistakes.
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