所谓名词性从句，就是指在主从复合句中起名词作用的从句，它主要包括主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句和同位语从句。综观近几年的高考英语试题，高考对名词性从句的设题主要涉及主语从句、宾语从句和同位语从句，而表语从句则相对考得比较少。进一步的研究表明，高考命题者对名词性从句的考查主要有六个方面的切入点。
一、考查that与whether的用法区别
that和whether均引导名词性从句，两者既有相同之处（均不充当句子成分），也有不同之处（that没有词义，但whether有词义），命题者有时会针对两者的“不同”之处切入命题，同时用where, when, why, how 之类的连接副词来干扰。请看以下高考实例：
1. The limits of a person’s intelligence, generally speaking, are fixed at birth, but ______ he reaches these limits will depend on his environment. (安徽卷)
A. where B. whether C. that D. why
2. Jerry did not regret giving the comment but felt ______ he could have expressed it differently. (北京卷)
A. why B. how C. that D. whether
解析：第1题答案为B，第2题答案为C。同学们应主要从句意方面去考虑，即第1题只有填入 whether，句子意思最通顺，句意为：“一般说来，一个人的智力极限是生下来就确定的，但他能否达到这些极限，取决于环境。”而第2题，填入A、B、D后，意思均说不通，而刚好是空格处没有任何意思时，整个句子意思最通顺，即表示：“他并不后悔自己作出评论，但觉得本来可以换一种方式来表达的。”
【碰碰高考题】（答案依次为ABCD）
1. I’ve made up my mind, but it’s obvious ______ you need more time to think.
A. that B. whether C. where D. why
2. He called her up one day and said ______ he and his wife were coming to
A. why B. that C. how D. whether
3. To this day, it’s unclear ______ he shot himself or was murdered.
A. where B. that C. whether D. why
4. I was merely questioning ______ we have the money to fund such a project.
A. why B. how C. that D. whether
二、考查what引导的名词性从句
what引导名词性从句时有两个意思：一是表示“什么”，二是表示“……的……”“……所……都”，但从近五年的高考命题情况来看，命题者似乎只对第二个意思的用法感兴趣，而且各自主命题的省市一直对它“百考不厌”。请看以下高考实例：
1. ―We’ve only got this small bookcase. Will that do?
―No, ______ I am looking for is something much bigger and stronger. (上海卷)
A. who B. that C. what D. which
2. I’d like to start my own business―that’s ______ I’d do if I had the money. (陕西卷)
A. why B. when C. which D. what
3. His writing is so confusing that it’s difficult to make out ______ it is he is trying to express. (安徽卷)
A. that B. how C. who D. what
解析：做这类考题的一个基本思路是：与that, whether在句中不充当句子成分不同，what引导名词性从句时，它在句中必须充当句子成分――或主语，或宾语，或表语。
第1题选C。what 引导主语从句，同时what在主语从句中用作介词 for 的宾语。填空句的意思是：我要找的是某种更大、更牢的东西。
第2题选D。what引导表语从句，同时它在表语从句中用作动词do的宾语。选项中的why和when为副词，不能用作宾语，可排除；而which虽可用作宾语，但与句意不符，故也排除。句意为：我喜欢开创自己的事业――那就是如果我有钱后要做的事情。
第3题选D。what在此引导宾语从句，同时它在宾语从句中用作动词express的宾语。选项that不能充当句子成分，故可排除；选项how为副词，不能用作宾语，也可排除；选项who虽可以用作宾语，但用作动词express的宾语，意思不通。本题句意为：他的作品很费解，很难弄清楚他在试图表达什么。
【碰碰高考题】（答案依次为CDAADCD）
1. What annoys me is the way he boasts about ______ he’s done.
A. how B. that C. what D. which
2. Patience is a kind of quality ― and that is ______ it takes to do anything well.
A. when B. where C. which D. what
3. ______ worries me is how we’re going to pay for all this.
A. What B. How C. Who D. That
4. ______ makes you think women can’t do that kind of work?
A. What B. That C. Which D. Who
5. I could get you a job here if that’s ______ you want.
A. why B. when C. which D. what
6. I haven’t even thought about ______ I’m going to wear to the dinner.
A. who B. that C. what D. which
7. ―______ makes you think women can’t do that kind of work?
―He scratched his head. “Well, now, you’ve got me there.
A. That B. How C. Who D. What
三、考查连接副词引导的名词性从句
用于引导名词性从句的连接副词主要有三个――when, where, how。它们分别用于指时间、地点和方式，表示“什么时候”“什么地方”“如何”。做这类考题的基本思路是：首先看句子是否缺主语或宾语，如缺，则不能选连接副词（因为连接副词只用作状语，不用作主语或宾语）；如不缺主语或宾语，则可能是选连接副词，但也可能是选that和whether之类的连词，此时主要看句意来确定答案（即填入句中意思最通顺的即为最佳答案）。请看以下高考实例：
1. Scientists study ______ human brains work to make computers. (四川卷)
A. when B. how C. that D. whether
2. It was never clear ______ the man hadn’t reported the accident sooner. (2011江苏卷)
A. that B. how C. when D. why
解析：第1题选 B。在四个选项中，除 that 本身没有意思外，其他三项均有自己的意思，但将它们分别填入空格处，只有填 how 句子意思最通顺。句意为：科学家研究人类大脑如何工作来制造出电脑。
第2题选D。分别将四个选项代入句中，只有D使句子意思最通顺。句意为：这个人为什么没有更早报告事故从未被弄明白。
【碰碰高考题】（答案依次为BDDBABC）
1. The cabinet is ______ she keeps all her sewing things.
A. when B. where C. that D. whether
2. Simon loves you―that’s ______ he wants to be with you.
A. that B. how C. what D. why
3. If you read the instructions, you’ll see ______ you went wrong.
A. whether B. who C. when D. where
4. Can’t you look ______ you’re going? You nearly knocked me over!
A. that B. where C. whether D. why
5. Could you give me some idea of ______ the building work will finish?
A. when B. how C. that D. whether
6. You are saying that everyone should be equal, and this is ______ I disagree.
A. that B. where C. when D. why
7. The police asked me to explain ______ I hadn’t reported the accident sooner.
A. when B. how C. why D. whether
四、考查
五、考查以形式主语引出的主语从句
当主语从句位于句首时，为避免句子显得“头重脚轻”，人们通常会将主语从句移到句末，而在句首使用形式主语it。这类知识点也是近几年的高考英语的一个常考考点，同学们尤其要注意的是一些特定句式中主语从句的运用，如It’s said that…, It struck me that…, It occurred to sb that…, It remains to be seen whether…, It doesn’t matter whether…(www.yygrammar.com)等。请看以下高考实例：
1. Everyone in the village is very friendly. It doesn’t matter ______ you have lived there for a short or a long time. (湖南卷)
A. why B. how C. whether D. when
2. It suddenly occurred to him ______ he had left his keys in the office. (江西卷)
A. whether B. where C. which D. that
3. It is by no means clear ______ the president can do to end the strike. (全国卷I)
A. how B. which C. that D. what
解析：第1题选C。根据句中的 or 可知，空格处应填whether。whether…or…在句中引导主语从句，句首的 it 为形式主语。
第2题选D。It occurred to sb that…为英语的固定句式，其意为“某人突然想到……”，句首的it为形式主语，其后的 that 引导真正的主语从句。句意为：他突然想起他把钥匙落在办公室里了。
第3题选D。句中的what引导主语从句，句首的 it 为形式主语。句意为：完全不清楚总统要做什么才能结束那场罢工。
【碰碰高考题】（答案依次为ADCCDDA）
1. It had never occurred to him ______ he might be falling in love with her.
A. that B. how C. whether D. when
2. It struck her ______ losing the company might be the least of her worries.
A. whether B. where C. which D. that
3. It remains to be seen ______ the cancer will respond to treatment.
A. why B. how C. whether D. when
4. It’s just struck me ______ I still owe you for the concert tickets.
A. how B. which C. that D. what
5. It never even occurred to us ______ he hadn’t been invited.
A. whether B. where C. which D. that
6. It remains to be seen ______ the operation was successful.
A. how B. which C. that D. whether
7. It doesn’t matter ______ you win or lose―it’s taking part that’s important.
A. whether B. where C. which D. that
六、考查同位语从句的“引导词”
同位语从句是高考英语的一个重要考点，其命题切入点主要涉及“引导词”that的用法。从语法上看，同位语从句主要用于说明或解释所修饰名词的具体含义或内容，与所修饰的名词具有“等同”关系。英语中可受同位语从句修饰的名词不多，主要的有belief, conclusion, decision, discovery, doubt, evidence, explanation, fact, hope, idea, information, impression, message, news, opinion, order, possibility, promise, proposal, question, reply, remark, report, risk, story, suggestion, thought, truth, theory, wish, word等。请看以下高考实例：
1. Evidence has been found through years of study ______ children’s early sleeping problems are likely to continue when they grow up. (重庆卷)
A. why B. how C. whether D. that
2. The notice came around two in the afternoon ______ the meeting would be postponed. (江苏卷)
A. when B. that C. whether D. how
3. I made a promise to myself ______ this year, my first year in high school, would be different. (浙江卷)
A. whether B. what C. that D. how
解析：以上几道题的答案分别为D、B、C，均考查同位语从句“引导词”that的用法，各同位语从句所修饰的名词分别为evidence, notice, promise。这几道题有个共同特点，就是同位语从句与它所修饰的名词被其他成分分开了――这一点同学们在做题时要特别注意，千万不要被这种“分离”假象所蒙骗了！
【碰碰高考题】（答案依次为ACCBDB）
1. There is little doubt ______ a diet high in fibre is more satisfying.
A. that B. how C. whether D. which
2. The fact ______ he is your brother-in-law should not affect your decision.
A. how B. which C. that D. whether
3. It’s based on the idea ______ all people are created equal.
A. whether B. what C. that D. how
4. I welcome the news ______ attacks on women on the railways are 19 per cent down.
A. when B. that C. whether D. how
5. The story goes ______ he was sacked after he was caught stealing company property.
A. why B. how C. whether D. that
6. Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence ______ what you look like makes much difference to your life.
A. what B. that C. whether D. which