When-clause

Question

Hi.They wanted to know when we could finish the job.Is the when we could finish the job a noun clause or an adverb one?In my opinion, it is a noun clause, despite being introduced by an adverb (adverbial conjunction?) when. Thank you.

Clive · Accepted Answer

I call it a noun clause, but more modern grammar analyses and terminology are also available.

Here is a perhaps simpler example..
eg August is when we could finish the job.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousadverb

It can't be this one because of the modal "could". I would call when we could finish the job an indirect question. Here's a more ambiguous one:

They asked us to tell them when we finished the job.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, Clive and CJ, for your useful replies.

CalifJimThey asked us to tell them when we finished the job.

But I still wonder whether an indirect question can do the job of the object thus being a noun clause.

I think that in the They asked us to tell them when we finished the job I may interpret when we finished the job as a direct object (a noun clause) and them as an indirect one. Am I right?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousBut I still wonder whether an indirect question can do the job of the object thus being a noun clause.

In the latest grammatical analyses, it would not be called an object nor a noun clause. Nevertheless, it occupies the same place in the sentence as an object would and therefore has some features in common with noun clauses as well. It's a complement of "ask".

AnonymousI think that in the They asked us to tell them when we finished the job I may interpret when we finished the job as a direct object (a noun clause) and them as an indirect one. Am I right?

This is correct in the traditional method of naming such things. It is also correct as the analysis of the sentence in one of the two ways it can be interpreted.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, CJ, for your useful reply.

When-clause

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