When I dropped off my kid at school. I heard the teacher said “I like the way you’re walking in the hall.” or “I like how you walk in the hall.” I would say, "I like the way how you walk in the hall." Which one is correct? And why?
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No, you can't say *"the way how". Your first example is correct: "I like the way (that) you’re walking in the hall". Your second example "I like how you walk in the hall" is marginal, and best avoided– BillJCommented Feb 22, 2020 at 12:37
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I heard the teacher also said " I like how you walk in the hall."– KindlyCommented Feb 22, 2020 at 16:39
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As I said, it is only marginally acceptable, and best avoided. Your teacher should not use it.– BillJCommented Feb 22, 2020 at 16:53
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People may be missing the point. The teacher was not commenting on the appearance, style, ... . They almost certainly meant - "I am pleased that you are walking rather than running." That is, there is probably a school rules that says something like "DO NOT RUN in the hall".– Russell McMahonCommented Oct 5 at 13:47
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1I like how you are walking down the hall, not running.– LambieCommented Oct 5 at 14:00
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3 Answers
"... the way you walk..." and "... how you walk..." are correct and natural.
"... the way how you walk..." is ungrammatical.
"The way" describes how you walk, so "the way how" is redundant. It means, "... the way the way you walk".
You might be conflating the use of "that" with "how" because "I like the way that you walk" is correct and natural.
People may be missing the point.
The teacher was almost certainly not commenting on the appearance, style, ... of the child's walking. .
They almost certainly meant - "I am pleased that you are walking rather than running."
That is, there is probably a school rule that says something like "DO NOT RUN in the hall".
The above is not certain but is far more likely than the given alternatives.
[1] I like the way you walk in the hall.
[2] %I like how you walk in the hall.
[3] * I like the way how you walk in the hall.
In simple terms:
[1] is fine and the usual way of conveying this particular meaning.
[2] is only marginally acceptable (some dialects).
[3] is flat ungrammatical.
