The clause "What the committee decided" is a:

Question

Identify the type of clause in the sentence below:

What the committee decided surprised everyone present.

The clause "What the committee decided" is a:

1. A. Noun clause functioning as the subject (Correct answer)
2. B. Adjective clause modifying committee
3. C. Adverbial clause of result
4. D. Independent clause with an implied subject

Correct Answer

Option A — A

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Option A.

Key Points

• a noun clause functioning as the subject.
• In 'What the committee decided surprised everyone present', the group of words 'What the committee decided' acts as a single noun — it is the subject of the verb 'surprised'.
• You could replace it with 'The decision', confirming it works as a noun.

Additional Information

• it is not an adjective clause (it modifies nothing), not an adverbial clause (it does not tell how/when/why), and not an independent clause (it cannot stand alone as a sentence).

Exam Tip

• a noun clause answers 'what?' and can be the subject, object, or complement — test it by substituting 'something' or 'it'.