Noun clauses after be

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frutadomar

#509359 Sun, 04 May 08 01:42 PM

Hi,There is a grammar point I don’t really understand. It is called noun clauses after be. For example an advantage of living in a big city is (that) stores are usually open. Ex 2. The best thing about being the oldest sibling is (that) you get to boss everyone around. I am supposed to teach noun clauses after be and teach them that ‘that’ is optional. Example 3. A problem with being the only girl in the family is (that) family members expect you to clean up after everybody. The sentences are easy enough to make but I don’t really get the grammar point or how I could clearly explain it to the students. Could someone give me direction

frutadomar

Joined on Thu, Mar 20 2008

New Member (02)

Clauses, Grammar, noun clauses, Nouns

Mister Micawber

#509420 Sun, 04 May 08 03:41 PM

.
I'm not sure that I can make it much easier for you, but--

Be (the copula) and other linking verbs have the SVC structure, where C is a noun or an adjective:

He is a man.
He is handsome.

Nouns can be single-word nouns, noun phrases or noun clauses, and they all work into an SVC sentence in the same way:

They are dogs. (N)
They are big black dogs with sharp teeth. (N phrase)
They are what you don't want to meet alone on a dark night. (N clause)
The problem with meeting them is that you might be their dinner. (ditto)

Does that help any?