Combine the following sentences into one sentence using a noun clause:
A rumour spread quickly among the students. The school would close early for Diwali.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → A rumour that the school would close early for Diwali spread quickly among the students.
Noun clause in apposition:
- A noun clause can come right after a noun such as news, fact, hope or rumour and tell what it is. It begins with that.
- The second sentence tells what the rumour was. So it becomes “that the school would close early for Diwali” and comes right after “A rumour”.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: A rumour which the school would close early for Diwali spread quickly among the students. — Incorrect. “Which” must take the place of a word inside its clause. Here nothing is missing from “the school would close early for Diwali”, so only “that” can join it.
Option 2: A rumour that the school would close early for Diwali, it spread quickly among the students. — Incorrect. “A rumour” is already the subject of “spread”. The extra “it” gives the verb a second subject.
Option 3: A rumour of that the school would close early for Diwali spread quickly among the students. — Incorrect. The option says “of that”. A that-clause cannot follow a preposition, so “of” must go.