Meaning of content clause | Babel Free

Definitions

A subordinate clause that expresses a full sentence's worth of meaning by itself and often functions like a noun phrase within a main clause (for example, often like a subject or object, but not always).

Examples

“Near-synonyms: nominal clause, noun clause”

“The bracketed parts [of the examples given] are like⟳ main clauses in some ways, but not in every way: that vaccines work⟳ would not be allowed as a main clause; nor would I ever saw⟳ it. I’ll call⟳ them content clauses from now on, because they express⟳ full sentence-like content of their own⟳. […] Traditional grammars tend⟳ to call⟳ content clauses “noun clauses” because of a feeling that content clauses can serve⟳ as subjects and objects of verbs, just like⟳ nouns (by which they mean⟳ NPs [noun phrases]). It’s not a good parallel (verbs like⟳ Think⟳ and Inquire take⟳ content-clause complements but not NP complements), and I won’t be using the term “noun clause” in this book.”

CEFR level