think + wh- clause

[Sweetpumpkin]

Hi,

The verb 'think' can take wh- clause, like "I think what to do tomorrow". Then, how about "Never think what if there's no way"? I think it might be okay, but I feel that there's no need to put 'what if' there.

What do you think?

Thanks,
sweetpumpkin

[Cerberus™]

Both sentences look wrong to me: you need "about" or "of" here, or quotation marks, or some other change.

[Sweetpumpkin]

Thanks, Cerberus. Then I have to say "Never think there's no way."

[James]

Maybe what you wanted to say is: "I am thinking about what to do tomorrow", as Cerberus pointed out.
"Never think there's no way." is fine; or "Never think like this: what if there's no way?"

[Cerberus™]

I agree with James.

Sweetpumpkin, perhaps you were confused by this construction: "I think there is no hope left". This is correct, but it comes from "I think that there is no hope left"; the conjunction "that" often can (but need not) be left out.

[Sweetpumpkin]

Thank you for your attention. Okay, then what if~ or what to do~ is a noun phrase, right? That's why we should use 'about' 'of' after 'think'. Then... how about "sure"?

I'm not sure what to do.
I'm not sure about what to do.

In this case, which one is correct? Since 'sure' is an adjective, I think the second one is right. What do you think?

Thanks,
sweetpumpkin

[Cerberus™]

The verbal phrase "to be sure" is the same: you need "about" or "of".
However, in informal speech, these prepositions are often dropped with "sure"; but not so often with "think", though that is also possible. Even so, with both verbs I'd say it is wrong to drop the preposition in formal writing; then again, "to be sure" is a bit informal anyway.

These "what" clauses are usually called relative clauses and indirect questions:
1. Relative what-clause: - I dislike what [= that which] she is planning to do.
2. Indirect question: - I don't know what she is planning to do.

The difference is not always clear. If you can take the what-clause out of the sentence and make it a question in direct speech, it must be an indirect question:
1. I dislike this: that which she is planning to do. (A known fact; you could not change it into a question.)
2. I don't know this: what is she planning to do? (Something I don't know.)

Some verbs simply go with indirect questions, others with relative what-clauses; some go with both, others with neither; you can find this in a good dictionary. If the verb can have an indirect question as a direct object, you need no preposition; if not, you do need one for an indirect question. If it can have a direct object at all, it can always have a relative what-clause. Verbs that can have a direct object are called transitive.

[Sweetpumpkin]

Many thanks, Cerberus™. Thank you again for showing the two types of what clauses which I haven't noticed until you said. Both 'what clauses' you mentioned- they are noun clauses, right? So, when you use "think" for them, you should use about or of, like "I think about what she is planning to do."

thanks,
sweetpumpkin

[Cerberus™]

Yes, that is right.