Reducing Noun Clauses to Infinitive Phrases

Part 1: Imagine you are traveling to Los Angeles, California for the first time.
What are some typical questions or concerns you might have about traveling,
etc.? Find the noun clause in each sentence and reduce it to an infinitive
phrase.

1. Could you please tell me how I can get to Union Station?

2. Would you mind telling me where I can find an ATM?

3. Could you please let me know whether I should stand on this side of the street or
that side of the street to catch the bus to Santa Monica?

4. I am not sure which ticket I should buy.

5. I don’t know when I should alert the bus driver to stop.

6. After that long train ride, I’m not sure what I should do to relax.

7. I’d like to know where I could find some famous celebrities.

8. Could you please let me know where I should go to get some good Mexican food?

9. Do you have any idea what ordinary people can do in Beverly Hills?

10. Would you mind telling me how I can get to the beach from here?
Part 2: Choose the sentence that best describes the conversation. In some
cases, both responses may be correct.

1. Child: Can I ride on your shoulders?

Dad: Sure!

a. The child asked to ride on his dad’s shoulders.

b. The child asked his dad to ride on his shoulders.

2. Dad: Will you clean up your toys, Lila?

Lila: Do I have to?

a. Lila’s dad asked to clean up her toys.

b. Lila’s dad asked her to clean up her toys.

3. Boss: Come to work on time!

Employee: Pay me more money!

a. The boss asked to come to work on time.

b. The boss told his employee to come to work on time.

4. Lisa: Could you help me carry my suitcase, please?

Bob: That’s the biggest suitcase I’ve ever seen!

a. Lisa asked Bob to carry her suitcase.

b. Lisa asked to carry her suitcase.

5. Teacher: Don’t look at other students’ exams!

Student: But theirs are so much more interesting than mine!

a. The teacher said not to look at other students’ exams.

b. The teacher told the student not to look at other students’ exams.

Part 3: Choose the correct reduced form of the underlined noun clause. If it is
not possible to reduce the noun clause, choose (C) (not possible).

1. My mother told me that I should follow my heart.

a. My mother told me to follow my heart.

b. My mother said me to follow my heart.
c. not possible

2. Molly’s father said that it rarely rains in New Mexico.

 a. Molly’s father said to rarely rain in New Mexico.
b. Molly’s father told it rarely rains in New Mexico.
c. not possible

3. Jerry asked if I would help him move next Saturday.

a. Jerry asked me to help him move next Saturday.

b. Jerry told me to help him move next Saturday.
c. not possible

4. When Joey walked into the house with muddy shoes, his mother said, “Take your
shoes off before you come in the house!”

a. Joey’s mother asked to take of his shoes.

b. Joey’s mother told him to take off his shoes.
c. not possible

5. Ron asked his boss if he could take some time off.

a. Ron asked to take some time off.

b. Ron asked his boss to take some time off.
c. not possible

Part 4: Find the noun clauses. Can they be reduced to infinitive phrases?

1. Manuel agreed that he would put forth more effort with regards to his academics.
(a) yes (b)no

2. The team hoped that they would win the championship game.
(a) yes (b) no

3. My father doesn’t expect that he will arrive on time.

(a) yes (b) no

4. I have decided it is not necessary to celebrate my birthday this year.

(a) yes (b) no

5. The children pretended that the sheets in the living room were a tent in the wild.
(a) yes (b) no

6. I reminded my mom that she should come visit me.

(a) yes (b) no

7. The law requires that all motorcyclists wear helmets.

(a) yes (b) no