preposition before wh-clause

[kl004535]

Dear teachers,

I wonder whether I can use a preposition before a wh-clause.
For example:
1. Be careful of/about what you say to her.
2. Be careful what you say to her.

Which one sounds natural to natives ?

I am much obliged to you for your guidance.

Thanks.

 

[Gnome]

Hello kl004535, I am a student in an American high school. I'm studying to become an American writer.

I believe this is called an adverb clause. An adverb clause would modify a specif word (adverb, adjective, verb). The first example is the sentence that I'm most familiar with in my location.

I hope this helps.

 

[Eric Davis]

Dear teachers,

I wonder whether I can use a preposition before a wh-clause.
For example:
1. Be careful of/about what you say to her.
2. Be careful what you say to her.

Which one sounds natural to natives ?

I am much obliged to you for your guidance.

Thanks.

I'm not a teacher, but I believe the first is a noun clause that is serving as the object of the preposition.

Noun Clauses
Noun Clauses

 

[kl004535]

I'm not a teacher, but I believe the first is a noun clause that is serving as the object of the preposition.

Noun Clauses
Noun Clauses

After studying the links above, the noun clause in second example may be adjective complement, but I have a doubt about it because it could be functioning as adverbial clause modifying the adjective "careful".

Thanks for your links.

 

[emsr2d2]

Dear teachers,

I wonder whether I can use a preposition before a wh-clause.
For example:
1. Be careful of/about what you say to her.
2. Be careful what you say to her.

Which one sounds natural to natives ?

I am much obliged to you for your guidance.

Thanks.

Grammar aside, your question was which one sounds natural to natives. Personally, I would use and expect to hear sentence 2 - Be careful what you say to her.