wh-clause

由 wh-词(包括 how)引导的名词从句,当它们充当介词宾语时,其前的介词(of, as to, about)常常省略掉。在上面的句子里,在 how 从句之前省略了 about(参见 noun clauses, note $^{4}$ , idea)。下面是没有省略介词和省略介词的一些 wh-从句:

1. No conclusion can be drawn from what the press reported yesterday. 从昨天报刊的报导得不出任何结论。

2. He made no comment on whether a decision had been reached. 他对是否做出了决定没有发表任何评论。

3. They did not consult us on whose names should be put forward. 他们没有问我们应把谁的名字排在前面。

4. There's the question (of) whether we should sign the form. 存在一个我们是否应当在表格上签字的问题。

5. We have solved the problem (of) who was at fault. 我们解决了谁有过错的问题。

6. When you find anything, make a note where it's found, and do a drawing in your notebook. (where 从句前省略了 of) 你们发现任何东西,都要记下是在哪儿发现的,并在笔记本上画草图。

7. In fact, Sophie now realized, the doors that opened into the chamber were situated only twenty metres from where her grandfather had been found dead. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 实际上，索菲现在才意识到，通往那间展厅的门距祖父的尸体只有二十米远。（《达·芬奇密码》）

8. He had no idea what had awoken him or how long he had been asleep. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 他不知道是什么东西惊醒了他，也不知道他睡了多久。（《达·芬奇密码》）

[句意]他们通常还要就如何演奏他们的音乐作品写出精确的说明。

这里的why绝不可以分析为连词，因为why在从句中充当状语，而连词是不可能在从句中充当句子成分的。有些英语语法著作把它称作连接副词。这在教学上似乎是可以接受的。但是，细心的学生一定会问：这里的why与一般的连接副词完全相同吗？问得好！这里的why与一般的连接副词确实不一样：连接副词有疑问含义，而它却没有。此外，这里的why实际上含有一个名词：the reason why。由此可见，这种副词是把名词和关系副词合而为一了。即它们引导的从句实际上等于一个名词再加上定语从句。所以称作名词性定语从句（见nominal relative clauses, when $^{1-3}$ , why $^{4}$ , where $^{5,6}$ ）。让我们用实例来证明：

That is ____ I was born and grew up.

A. there B. in which C. where D. the place(北京宣武区质量检查题)

that is where $=$ that is the place where

that was when $=$ that was (at) the time when