Basic Patterns for Forming Noun Clauses from Questions

1. If the question begins with the copular verb be, move the verb to after the subject and insert
either if or whether before the subject. For example:

Are you a teacher? → if/whether [are] you are a teacher

if you are a teacher
whether you are a teacher

Were your grandparents German? → if/whether [were] your grandparents were German
if your grandparents were German
whether your grandparents were German

2. If the question contains a do operator, simply replace the do operator with if or whether and
conjugate the verb to agree with the number and person of the subject. For example:

Does the puppy eat vegetables? → if/whether [does] the puppy eats vegetables
if the puppy eats vegetables
whether the puppy eats vegetables

Do the children like kumquats? → if/whether [do] the children like kumquats
if the children like kumquats
whether the children like kumquats

3. If the question begins with an auxiliary verb other than the do operator, move the initial
auxiliary verb to after the subject and insert either if or whether before the subject. For example:

Are you going to the movies? → if/whether [are] you are going to the movies
if you are going to the movies
whether you are going to the movies

Have the neighbors been behaving? → if/whether [have] the neighbors have been
behaving
if the neighbors have been behaving
whether the neighbors have been behaving

4. If the question begins with a wh- question word and the copular verb be, move the verb to
after the subject. For example:

What is your favorite color? → what [is] your favorite color is

what your favorite color is

How are your parents? → how [are] your parents are

how your parents are

5. If the question begins with a wh- question word and contains a do operator, remove the do
operator and conjugate the verb to agree with the number and person of the subject. For example:

How does she want her steak cooked? → how [does] she wants her steak cooked
how she wants her steak cooked

Where did your brothers go to college? → where [did] your brothers went to college
where your brothers went to college

6. If the question begins with a wh- question word and begins with an auxiliary verb other than
the do operator, move the initial auxiliary verb to after the subject. For example:

Why has your uncle travelled to Europe? → why [has] your uncle has travelled to Europe
why your uncle has traveled to Europe
Who have the students been reading about? → who [have] the students have been reading
about
who the students have been reading about