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Debpriya De Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Careful
1. "Be careful what you say"
2. "Be careful what you wish for"
In the above two sentences we don't use a preposition like "with" between the adjective "careful" and the noun clause "what you wish for" or "what you say".
Is this usage idiomatic only for these two sentences or for all similar sentences ?
Please ceck the following:
1. You must be careful what decision you take.
2. He is always careful what excuse he makes.
3. I will be careful what I write about him.
What about the alternate versions :
1. You must be careful about/ with what decision you take.
2. He is always careful with/about what excuse he makes.
3. I will be careful with/about what I write about him.
2. "Be careful what you wish for"
In the above two sentences we don't use a preposition like "with" between the adjective "careful" and the noun clause "what you wish for" or "what you say".
Is this usage idiomatic only for these two sentences or for all similar sentences ?
Please ceck the following:
1. You must be careful what decision you take.
2. He is always careful what excuse he makes.
3. I will be careful what I write about him.
What about the alternate versions :
1. You must be careful about/ with what decision you take.
2. He is always careful with/about what excuse he makes.
3. I will be careful with/about what I write about him.
Top answer
-- All of the sentences you offer are fine without a preposition, though I feel there is an optionally elided 'of'. What about the alternate versions :- 'About' is OK. 'With' does not sound good to me.
- -- All of the sentences you offer are fine without a preposition, though I feel there is an optionally elided 'of'.
- What about the alternate versions :- 'About' is OK.
- 'With' does not sound good to me.
- I use 'with' like this: Be careful with those boxes!
- Don't drop them!
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3 Answers
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Is this usage idiomatic only for these two sentences or for all similar sentences ?-- All of the sentences you offer are fine without a preposition, though I feel there is an optionally elided 'of'.
What about the alternate versions :- 'About' is OK. 'With' does not sound good to me. I use 'with' like this: Be careful with those boxes! Don't drop them!
What about the alternate versions :- 'About' is OK. 'With' does not sound good to me. I use 'with' like this: Be careful with those boxes! Don't drop them!
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Thanks MM,
I have another question.
"He was careful that he didn't wake the baby."
Is "that he didn't wake the baby" a complement of careful ?
I have another question.
"He was careful that he didn't wake the baby."
Is "that he didn't wake the baby" a complement of careful ?
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Is that an authentic sentence, DD? Hmm, yes, I suppose it is, but it seems odd. 'He was careful not to wake the baby' is the only form I would expect.
Yes, 'that...baby' would have to modify either 'careful' or 'He was careful'. In many cases, I think it it is impossible to distinguish sentence adverbials from adjective or verb adverbials.
Yes, 'that...baby' would have to modify either 'careful' or 'He was careful'. In many cases, I think it it is impossible to distinguish sentence adverbials from adjective or verb adverbials.
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