That - noun clause vs. adjective clause－ ELISA ENGLISH's Blog 英語園地

I saw this question at Yahoo Knowledge today. I was about to answer but found out that there were people already providing pretty good answer. Since it is too long for me to post this as a comment to that question, I decided to post it here for your reference.

請問各位大大
這句名詞子句的用法我不大懂
I think [the reason the restaurant is successful] is that we concentrate
on serving food of the very best quality for a reasonable price.

(1) I think (that) the reason (that) the restaurant is successful is that we concentrate on serving food of the very best quality for a reasonable price.

=> 名詞子句that we concentrate on serving food of the very best quality for a reasonable price當the reason (that the restaurant is successful)的補語

名詞子句當補語

For examples:

(a) His ignorance is that he always claims to know everything.

(b) I think the problem is (that) nobody knows how to fix it.

(2) I think (that) the reason (that) the restaurant is successful is that we concentrate on serving food of the very best qualify for a reasonable price.

名詞子句 (that) the reason (that) the restaurant is successful is that we concentrate on serving food of the very best qualify for a reasonable price 當動詞think的受詞

名詞子句當動詞的受詞

For example:

I know (that) he is a good boy

(3) I think (that) the reason (that) the restaurant is successful is that we concentrate on serving food of the very best qualify for a reasonable price.

The reason that the restaurant is successful is …..

形容詞子句 that the restaurant is successful is ….. 如同形容詞修飾名詞The reason

形容詞子句如同形容詞修飾名詞

For examples:

The toy that she is playing is Mary’s

“that she is playing” (adjective clause) modifies “the toy” (noun)

=> “that she is playing” is a clause 子句 because it has a subject 主詞 (she) and a predicate (述詞 - 動詞 is playing); it’s an adjective clause 形容詞子句 because it modifies 修飾 a noun 名詞 (toy).