How do noun clauses function as phrases? Give examples.

Noun clauses can function as phrases in a sentence by acting as the subject, object, or complement. They are dependent clauses that function as nouns, and they can be introduced by words such as "that," "whether," "if," or "wh- words" like "who," "what," "where," "when," "why," and "how."

Here are some examples of noun clauses functioning as phrases:

1. Subject: "What she said" surprised everyone.
- In this example, the noun clause "What she said" acts as the subject of the sentence.

2. Object: I don't know "whether he will come" or not.
- Here, the noun clause "whether he will come" functions as the direct object of the verb "know."

3. Complement: Her biggest fear is "that she will fail" the exam.
- In this sentence, the noun clause "that she will fail the exam" acts as the complement of the verb "is."

4. Object of a preposition: He is worried "about what will happen" tomorrow.
- In this case, the noun clause "about what will happen" functions as the object of the preposition "about."

5. Appositive: My hope, "that we will succeed," keeps me motivated.
- Here, the noun clause "that we will succeed" serves as an appositive, providing additional information about the noun "hope."

Overall, noun clauses function as phrases by taking on the role of a noun within a sentence, whether it be as the subject, object, complement, or even an appositive.