Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Charles06]

Hi, all, just wish to pick your brain if I may.

We say: 1) �This is how he does it� not 2) �This is the way how he does it.� The reason being that �way� is redundant. However, I do have trouble to rationalize the following sentences, if I follow the reasoning in 1)
Do we say: 2) �Is this the way how he does it?� or �Is this how he does it?� Which is correct, or better?
Do we say: 3) �This is a normal way how he does it�? or �This is normal how he does it�? Do these two sentences convey the same meaning? Which is correct or better?
Also, do we say: 4)�This is the way how to do it�? (Notice the sentence structure is different from 2) above.) Or we say: �This is how to do it�? Do these two sentences convey the same meaning? Which is correct or better?

Will appreciate your comments. Thanks.

[redset]

1) You either use how or the way, not both. They both have the same meaning in that sentence - the way you do something is how you do it.

2) Use either 'is this the way he does it?' or 'is this how he does it?' - using both is redundant

3) I'd say either 'this is the normal (or usual) way he does it' or 'this is normally how he does it', or 'this is how/the way he normally does it'. There's a subtle difference in your sentence 'this is normal how he does it' - it implies that 'this is how he does it, and it's considered normal by everyone' meaning that lots of other people do it the same way. It would be better to use normally I think.

4) Again you can use either how or the way, but only one!

[Charles06]

Thanks a lot, redset, for taking the trouble to respond to my query.
You've been very helpful.