What the substance is

Question

"There are many different terms used in science to describe substances or different types of reactions. The properties of a particular substance help determine what the substance is and its level of reactivity. Properties are both physical and chemical."
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What is the grammatical form and function of "What the substance is"?
What is the role of what in that clause? What does "what" refer to?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

JigneshbharatiWhat is the grammatical form and function of "What the substance is"?

The easiest analysis is that it's an indirect (embedded) question. The verb 'determine' takes an indirect question as complement.

What is the substance? (direct question)
... what the substance is. (indirect question)

JigneshbharatiThe properties of a particular substance help determine what the substance is

~ The properties of a particular substance help determine the answer to the question "What is this substance?"

JigneshbharatiWhat is the role of what in that clause?

'what' is a question word, just like 'where', 'when', 'who', or 'how'. You used it that way in the question you just asked (What is the role of ...?)

JigneshbharatiWhat does "what" refer to?

Question words don't refer to anything. That's why they are question words. They ask the listener to answer the question by substituting a word or phrase that specifies the reference. You can see this in the following question and answer.

What is the number after 15? (what doesn't refer to anything.)
The number after 15 is 16. (what disappears and the number 16 substitutes for it. Now we have the answer because 16 refers to something, namely, a particular quantity.)

CJ

What the substance is

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