Question

Identify each italicized subordinate clause as a noun clause, an adjective clause, or an adverb clause,
What the speaker said was not clear
O noun clause
adjective clause
adverb clause

Answer 1

Answer:

The subordinate clause in the sentence is a noun clause.

Explanation:

A clause must have a subject and a verb. A noun clause is a subordinate (dependent) clause that functions as a noun in a sentence. Therefore, just like a noun, it can be: subject, object of a verb or of a preposition, or a predicate nominative. Noun clauses begin with words such as what, whatever, when, which, how etc.

In the sentence "What the speaker said was not clear" we can safely say we have a noun clause in "what the speaker said". It is a clause because it has a subject (speaker) and a verb (said). It is a noun clause because it starts with "what" and it functions as the subject of "was not clear". "Was" is a linking verb and "not clear" is the subject complement - and it is not a clause.