1

While writing questions with infinitive, I realized that it is common to say

How to + verb

What to + verb

When to + verb

Where to + verb

Who to + verb

But it is very uncommon to say

Why to + verb

as confirmed by Ngram, for which we prefer the version without "to". I would have thought that all interrogative pronouns should follow the same pattern.

Examples include:

Why make diversity so hard to achieve? Source

What to expect when you're expecting Source

How to flatten your abs with yoga Source

What is the ethymological reason behind this?

Improve this question
5
  • 1
    I doubt if it's an etymological reason, but why is also unusual in that it can't be used as a relative pronoun modifying any other noun than reason; the reason why is grammatical, but not *the cause/source why. Of course, how is even more restricted, in that it doesn't ever occur as a relative pronoun at all: the way to do it is OK, but not *the way how to do it. Wh-questions with infinitives and relative infinitives are intimately related, just like headless relative clauses and embedded question complements are.
    – John Lawler
    Commented Apr 27, 2017 at 14:56
  • Do you mean embedded questions?
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Apr 27, 2017 at 15:10
  • Could you give an example sentence for at least one of the words? I don't know understand what structure you're asking about.
    – Arm the good guys in America
    Commented Apr 27, 2017 at 15:33
  • 1
    @Clare I added a few sentences
    – laureapresa
    Commented Apr 27, 2017 at 15:55
  • As is hinted by the lack of a question mark, What to expect when you're expecting and How to flatten your abs with yoga are not questions.
    – Arm the good guys in America
    Commented Apr 27, 2017 at 15:59

0

Reset to default

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.