We can also use number words with dogs: one dog, two dogs, three dogsy and so on. Most nouns that refer to concrete objects are count , nouns that refer to abstractions and nouns that are used to label things that occur in undifferentiated masses (as opposed to individual persons, places, or things) are often non-count nouns. | 104 Noun Phrases Wh- word as adverb of cause I know you did it why. I know why you did it 0. Wh- word as adverb of manner I know you did it how. I know how you did it 0. Exercise Use Rule 2 to move the wh- word to the beginning of the noun clause. Mark the gap where the wh- word came from with 0. We discussed they were doing the job how. We discussed how they were doing the job 0. 1. I told them I needed what. 2. We did what seemed to please them. 3. The police asked them they did it why. 4. The only thing that counts is you actually do what. 5. I was really impressed by you were trying to accomplish what. 6. You can make it whenever will be fine with us. 7. I can t remember it was whose suggestion. 8. We were confused by they said what. Noun Clauses 105 9. My friends were trying to guess they would pick which one. 10. I had no idea about we should do what. 11. I voted for whom is nobody s business but mine. 12. They had to say what about the economy was pretty convincing. 13. The car was parked they said it would be where. 14. You will be tested only on you have learned what in this class. 15. John gave Mary what for her birthday came as a complete surprise to her. Probably the most common error that nonnative speakers make when they use wh- clauses is that they mistakenly use the inverted verb word order of information questions. Since information questions are much more common than wh- clauses it is natural that many nonnative speakers associate all wh- words with the inverted verb word order used in information questions. Here are some examples first with an information question then a wh- clause mistakenly using the same question word order and finally the correct wh- clause word order. The wh- word is in italics and the verb or first verb if there is more than one is in bold Information question Incorrect wh- clause Correct wh- clause Information question Incorrect wh- clause Correct wh- clause Information question Incorrect wh- clause Correct wh- clause
