I am ashamed of how often he begs for money.

[Vladv1]

Is it true that if an adjective that has a subject different from a dummy IT, this adjective is followed by a wh-clause, retaining the preposition as it would before as noun. I am ashamed of him/ I am ashamed of how often he begs for money? I know that some adjectives that express certainty can do that using "as to "( I am not sure as where he lives), but my question pertains to other adjectives-like "ashamed", "aware", which express no certainty.

 

[jutfrank]

Is it true that if an adjective that has a subject different from a dummy IT

Adjectives don't and can't have subjects.

this adjective is followed by a wh-clause, retaining the preposition as it would before as noun.

I don't understand this part.

I am ashamed of him/ I am ashamed of how often he begs for money?

Those are correct, yes. Are you simply asking whether you need to keep the 'of' if you use a 'wh'-clause? If so, the answer is yes. It doesn't matter what kind of complement there is. The pattern is:

(be) ashamed of something

The 'wh'-clause fills the 'something' slot.

I know that some adjectives that express certainty can do that using "as to "( I am not sure as where he lives), but my question pertains to other adjectives-like "ashamed", "aware", which express no certainty.

Would you try to ask the question again? I can't really can't guess what you're asking, and what connection you think certainty or dummy 'it' has to do with anything. Yes, 'aware' works in a similar pattern:

(be) aware of something

 

[Vladv1]

Adjectives don't and can't have subjects.



I don't understand this part.



Those are correct, yes. Are you simply asking whether you need to keep the 'of' if you use a 'wh'-clause? If so, the answer is yes. It doesn't matter what kind of complement there is. The pattern is:

(be) ashamed of something

The 'wh'-clause fills the 'something' slot.



Would you try to ask the question again? I can't really can't guess what you're asking, and what connection you think certainty or dummy 'it' has to do with anything. Yes, 'aware' works in a similar pattern:

(be) aware of something

Thanks. I know that there is a group of adjectives ;
(doubtful, confused, indecisive, ambiguous, concerned, curious ,keptical, puzzled, perplexed , wary, skeptical, confused, indecisive, perplexed, ambiguous, clueless divided, indecisive) that when followed by a -wh clause use "as to" instead of the preposition that they would use before a noun (usually the preposition "about"). For example; I am curious as to how he did that. My question. How do I know which adjectives retain the same preposition before a -wh clause as it woud before a noun, and which adjectives use AS TO before - wh clauses.

 

[Vladv1]

Adjectives don't and can't have subjects.



I don't understand this part.



Those are correct, yes. Are you simply asking whether you need to keep the 'of' if you use a 'wh'-clause? If so, the answer is yes. It doesn't matter what kind of complement there is. The pattern is:

(be) ashamed of something

The 'wh'-clause fills the 'something' slot.



Would you try to ask the question again? I can't really can't guess what you're asking, and what connection you think certainty or dummy 'it' has to do with anything. Yes, 'aware' works in a similar pattern:

(be) aware of something

But there are adjectives that can omit a preposition when followed by wh/how -clause? I am confused.

 

[jutfrank]

I know that there is a group of adjectives ;
(doubtful, confused, indecisive, ambiguous, concerned, curious ,keptical, puzzled, perplexed , wary, skeptical, confused, indecisive, perplexed, ambiguous, clueless divided, indecisive) that when followed by a -wh clause use "as to" instead of the preposition that they would use before a noun (usually the preposition "about").

No, this is incorrect. There is no such class of adjectives, and it's not that these words you list must use 'as to' to connect to a 'wh'-clause, but rather that they can.

For example; I am curious as to how he did that.

Right. The 'as to' part is more or less equivalent in meaning, and so can do similar kind of semantic work to the prepositions 'about' and 'concerning'. Conversely, most of the time when you can use 'as to', you can also use a preposition in a similar way.

My question. How do I know which adjectives retain the same preposition before a -wh clause as it woud before a noun, and which adjectives use AS TO before - wh clauses.

I think that ultimately what you really want to know boils down to this: When and why is 'as to' used?

 

[Vladv1]

No, this is incorrect. There is no such class of adjectives, and it's not that these words you list must use 'as to' to connect to a 'wh'-clause, but rather that they can.



Right. The 'as to' part is more or less equivalent in meaning, and so can do similar kind of semantic work to the prepositions 'about' and 'concerning'. Conversely, most of the time when you can use 'as to', you can also use a preposition in a similar way.



I think that ultimately what you really want to know boils down to this: When and why is 'as to' used?

Thanks, I meant to say that there is a list of adjctives that can take AS TO before wh clauses instead the preposition? Is my list correct?

 

[Vladv1]

No, this is incorrect. There is no such class of adjectives, and it's not that these words you list must use 'as to' to connect to a 'wh'-clause, but rather that they can.



Right. The 'as to' part is more or less equivalent in meaning, and so can do similar kind of semantic work to the prepositions 'about' and 'concerning'. Conversely, most of the time when you can use 'as to', you can also use a preposition in a similar way.



I think that ultimately what you really want to know boils down to this: When and why is 'as to' used?

As to can substitue ONLY for "about" of all prepositions?

 

[jutfrank]

Thanks, I meant to say that there is a list of adjctives that can take AS TO before wh clauses instead the preposition?

No, there's no such class of adjectives. However, you're on the right lines that 'as to' tends to be used in clauses that express a sense of uncertainty or inquiry, or 'unresolved knowledge' in a broader sense.

Is my list correct?

Yes, all of your words could be used with 'as to'.

 

[jutfrank]

As to can substitue ONLY for "about" of all prepositions?

It doesn't 'substitute'. It has a similar meaning to the prepositons 'about' and 'concerning' and 'regarding' and probably some others that I can't think of right now.

 

[Vladv1]

It doesn't 'substitute'. It has a similar meaning to the prepositons 'about' and 'concerning' and 'regarding' and probably some others that I can't think of right now.

Can the adjectives from my list that can be followed by as to+wh clauses have a copula other than "to be" still retaining this pattern?

 

[jutfrank]

The copula doesn't matter. I only added 'be' in the way I presented the pattern in post #2 as an attempt to make it clear that the following words were adjectives.

 

[Vladv1]

The copula doesn't matter. I only added 'be' in the way I presented the pattern in post #2 as an attempt to make it clear that the following words were adjectives.

Thanks a lot. So either "get" or "become" can be used? "To become" is better? Can "become" be used in continuous as well ? I know that "get" can be.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks a lot. So Can either "get" or "become" can be used? Is "to become" is better? Can "become" be used in the continuous as well? I know that "get" can be.

Note my corrections above, particularly to the correct word order for a question.

Please give us example sentences in which you wonder if "become" is better than "get".
Please give us example sentences with "become" in the continuous.

 

[Vladv1]

Note my corrections above, particularly to the correct word order for a question.

Please give us example sentences in which you wonder if "become" is better than "get".
Please give us example sentences with "become" in the continuous.

I am becoming concerned as to how often he smokes. I am getting confused as to how much beer I should drink.

 

[jutfrank]

So either "get" or "become" can be used?

Both of those can work as copula verbs, yes. Obviously, there are several others too.

"To become" is better?

Better than what? At doing what?

Can "become" be used in continuous as well ? I know that "get" can be.

Very much so. This verb absolutely loves the continuous aspect, probably as much as any other verb out there.

 

[Vladv1]

Better than what? At doing what?

My problem is when to choose 'get" and when to choose "become" as a copula before an adjective. One native speaker told me that since "become=come to be", it expresses a change that is taking place over a long period. Could you comment please?

 

[Vladv1]

No, there's no such class of adjectives. However, you're on the right lines that 'as to' tends to be used in clauses that express a sense of uncertainty or inquiry, or 'unresolved knowledge' in a broader sense.



Yes, all of your words could be used with 'as to'.

Could you please tell if one can use dummy IT as a subject in the pattern with "as to". I am unclear as to how he found me/It is unclear as to how he found me.

 

[jutfrank]

Could you please tell if one can use dummy IT as a subject in the pattern with "as to". I am unclear as to how he found me/It is unclear as to how he found me.

I don't know why you're asking this. The easy answer here is: No, don't try to use dummy 'it' with 'as to'. Keep things simple for now. Dummy 'it' has no relevance to any of this, as far as I know.

 

[jutfrank]

My problem is when to choose 'get" and when to choose "become" as a copula before an adjective.

If you're trying to force us to give you a practical rule, I would say this: In informal, casual, everyday speech, use 'get'.

You tend to ask questions about very general rules and principles, which is often quite unhelpful. Remember that word choice depends on so many factors other than core semantics, such as register, collocation, style, etcetera. If you can offer a specific sentence that you think you might one day want to say, and where you can't choose between 'get' and 'become', then ask us here and we'll tell you which choice is best and why.

One native speaker told me that since "become=come to be", it expresses a change that is taking place over a long period. Could you comment please?

My comment would be that you should stop asking 'native speakers' questions about the use of English, as most of them have very little idea of what they're talking about. Even highly competent, highly aware, highly educated native speakers may be almost completely clueless about grammar and semantics. Ask teachers instead, regardless of whether they're native speakers. It's our job to understand and explain these things.

 

[emsr2d2]

Ask teachers instead, regardless of whether they're native speakers. It's our job to understand and explain these things.

I'll exclude myself from that group! I'm primarily a "use of English" teacher and I don't specialise in grammar so even though my description here is "English teacher", I certainly don't teach it to the level of most of the others here.