What is the function of the underlined noun clause in the sentence?
Riya’s only wish for her birthday was that the whole family would eat dinner together.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Complement of the verb
The clause comes after “was” and tells what Riya’s wish was. Without it, “Riya’s only wish for her birthday was” is incomplete.
| Option | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Complement of the verb (answer) | comes after a verb like is or was and completes the meaning of the subject | The trouble is that the tap leaks all night. |
| (2) Object of the verb | comes after an action verb like said or knew; “was” does not take an object | Riya said that she wanted a cake. |
| (3) Subject of the verb | comes before the verb; here the subject of “was” is “Riya’s only wish” | That the family ate together made Riya happy. |
| (4) In apposition to a noun | comes right after its noun, with no verb between them; here “was” comes between “wish” and the clause | Her wish that the family would eat together came true. |