- Charles said [that] he was sorry.
- I hope you will come.
- I wish he would help me.
For the infinitive clause replacing a that-clause as object, see [§§ 324–325].
389. A noun clause may be used as the retained object of a passive verb ([§ 253]).
| Active Voice (Clause as Object) | Passive Voice (Retained Object) |
|---|---|
| They informed me that the train was late. | I was informed that the train was late. |
| Charles told us that the ice was thin. | We were told that the ice was thin. |
| They asked me whether (or if) I liked tennis. | I was asked whether I liked tennis. |
390. A noun clause may be the object of a preposition.
- I see no reason for a lawsuit except that both parties are stubborn. [Compare: except the stubbornness of both.]
- She never studies, except when she can find nothing else to do.
- I could say nothing but [=except] that I was sorry.
- Justice was well administered in his time, save where the king was party.—Bacon.
- She could see me from where she stood.
- There is a dispute as to which of the miners first staked out the claim.
For a noun clause used as an adverbial objective, see [§ 384].
391. Noun clauses with that are common in the predicate when the expletive it is the grammatical subject ([§ 120, 2]).
- It was plain that war was at hand.
- It was clear that this administration would last but a very short time.
- It must be admitted that there were many extenuating circumstances.
- It was by slow degrees that Fox became a brilliant and powerful debater.
- It was under the command of a foreign general that the British had triumphed at Minden.
In such sentences the real subject of the thought is the clause. This, however, may be regarded as grammatically in apposition with it, as if one said “It (that war was at hand) was plain.”