Studying abroad: what and why
Studying abroad means going to a school or college in another country for some months or years.
Why do students do it? To learn a new language, meet new people, see how others live, and try new ways of learning. They also share their own culture, which helps people understand each other. This is what bridging cultures means.
Good things and hard things
- Good: new friends, language skills, wider ideas, confidence.
- Hard: missing family, different food, new rules, money, loneliness at first.
- Helps: ask questions, be curious and polite, keep in touch with home, join a club.
What is a noun clause?
A clause has a subject and a verb. A noun clause does the job of a noun in a sentence. It can be an object ("I know that she studies abroad"), a subject ("What she learned surprised us") or the thing after "is" ("The question is whether she will return").
Three starters: that, wh-words, whether
| Starter | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| that | a fact or idea | I know that she studies abroad. |
| what, who, where, when, why, how | a question | Tell me what she learned. |
| whether / if | yes-or-no | I wonder whether she will return. |
In a noun clause the word order is like a statement: "Tell me where she lives" (not "where does she live").
Try it
Write three sentences about someone who studies abroad (a real or made-up friend). Use "I know that...", "Tell me what/where..." and "I wonder whether...". Then underline each noun clause and check the word order: subject before verb.
Key formulas and definitions
- sentence + that + statement = noun clause (fact)
- sentence + wh-word + subject + verb = noun clause (question)
- sentence + whether/if + statement = noun clause (yes/no)
- noun clause = one noun (answers what?)
- word order stays like a statement: where she lives
Worked examples
1. Find the noun clause: I believe that every child can learn.
that every child can learn. It is the object of "believe".
2. Make one sentence: "Where does she live?" Ask me. ->
Ask me where she lives. (Statement order, no "does".)
3. Complete: I do not know ____ he will join us. (yes or no)
whether (or if). It is a yes-or-no idea.
Common mistakes
- Using question order inside the clause: wrong "Tell me where does she live"; right "where she lives".
- Using that for a yes/no idea: use whether or if.
- Putting a question mark after a statement that has a noun clause: "I know what she learned." not "?"
- Thinking that must always be written. After know, think, say it can be left out: "I know she studies abroad."