"The way" vs. "how" ?

Question

'The way' and 'how' are not used together.

I know the way how he did it. (Incorrect).

I know the way he did it. (Correct)

Or,

I know how he did it. (Correct)

But

"I know the reason why he did it."
"I know the time when he did it."
"I know the place where he lives."

These are correct.

What is the grammatical rule?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Sandip KumarThese are correct.

Debatable.

You hear "reason why" a lot, but in formal writing and careful speech, use "reason that" or just "reason": "I know the reason he did it." There is really nothing wrong with "why" there, but it often strikes many of us as redundant.

I'm having trouble with "I know the time when he did it." If you mean that you know what time it was when he did it, that's a funny way of putting it, and it seems like a garbled version of "I know what time he did it" or "I know what the time was when he did it" or "I know what time it was when he did it." In the latter two cases, "when" is indispensable. "Time when" is often seen, as in "There was a time when people made their own clothes" or "Remember that time when Frank painted the bicycle?" That second one could be put "Remember the time Frank …" With "that time", "when" specifies what occasion it was. With "the time", you don't need "when" because that is the ordinary way of mentioning such an occasion.

"I know the place where he lives." This is more grammar than anything. "Where" is a garden-variety relative pronoun.

I don't see a rule here. It is a matter of sense.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

How is not a relative pronoun. The relative pronouns are who, that and which.

In the first sentence, way is the direct object and it is followed by a defining relative clause. The relative pronoun can be omitted.

I know the way ( that ) he did it.

I know the way in which he did it.

In the alternative the content clause (how he did it) is the complement of the verb. How is an adverb.

I know [how he did it].

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/relative-pronouns

In informal language, it is commonplace to use where, when or why to introduce defining relative clauses instead of at which, on which or for which.

"I know the reason why he did it." (informal) / "I know the reason (that) he did it." (formal) Some persnickety teachers will object to "why" in this sentence. It is unnecessary.

I know [why he did it]. (See explanation above)

"I know the time when he did it." / "I know the time at which he did it." (This seems very stilted to me.)

"I know the place where he lives." / "I know the place in which he lives." (This seems very stilted to me.)

CalifJim · Answer

Sandip KumarWhat is the grammatical rule?

Simply put, "way how" is the exception in the paradigm. That's "the rule".

person who / person that
thing which / thing that
time when / time that
place where / place that
reason why / reason that
~~way how~~ / way that

CJ

"The way" vs. "how" ?

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