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Understanding the Word "That" in English

The document discusses the various grammatical uses of the word 'that' in the English language, including its roles as a demonstrative pronoun, determiner, relative pronoun, conjunction, and adverb. It explains how 'that' functions in different contexts, such as linking clauses and serving as a cohesive device, while also noting its omission in informal speech. Additionally, it highlights the distinction between formal and informal usage of 'that' in complement and adverbial clauses.

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9 views2 pages

Understanding the Word "That" in English

The document discusses the various grammatical uses of the word 'that' in the English language, including its roles as a demonstrative pronoun, determiner, relative pronoun, conjunction, and adverb. It explains how 'that' functions in different contexts, such as linking clauses and serving as a cohesive device, while also noting its omission in informal speech. Additionally, it highlights the distinction between formal and informal usage of 'that' in complement and adverbial clauses.

Uploaded by

frenchmeuf
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

That

The workhorse of the English language, that has uses as a demonstrative pronoun and
determiner, as a relative pronoun, two kinds of conjunction, and occasionally as an adverb.

1 As a demonstrative, that compliments this. That represents something further away than
whatever we might apply this to: This goes with that as they say in a certain fashion store. That
draws attention to something at a remove [distance AmE] from the reader and writer, whereas
this draws them together over it. Yet in conversation that often refers to something in the physical
context, and is very much more common than this—by a factor of more than 7:1 in the Longman
Grammar (1999) corpus. In writing that must have an antecedent (phrase or clause) to refer to in
the text itself:
To go to Japan—that was her number one ambition.
The examples so far have shown that as a pronoun, whereas in that trip and that exciting trip it
serves as a determiner (not ‘adjective’, as in traditional grammar and older dictionaries). As
determiner or pronoun, that is a useful cohesive device, like the personal pronouns. (See further
under coherence or cohesion.)

2 That as a clause-connector. That serves to link embedded, complementary and subordinate


clauses to the main clause in one of three ways:
 as a relative pronoun (like which, who)
 introducing a noun (complement) clause
 introducing an adverbial clause
These three uses of that are detailed in sections (a), (b) and (c) below. That also appears in
several compound subordinating conjunctions:
in order that provided that so that
a) When that introduces a relative clause it can be omitted—and often is, depending on both
grammatical and stylistic factors. It often disappears when it is the object of the relative clause, as
in:
The TV program (that) we saw last night had a powerful impact on us.
Compare the obligatory use of that in:
A TV program that had a powerful impact on us was shown last night.
In the second sentence that is the subject of the relative clause and must be expressed in current
written English. Yet the deletion of that as object pronoun is normal in conversation, and these
days common in writing (see relative clauses section 1).
For the choice between that and which, and their use in restrictive relative clauses, see relative
pronouns.
b) When that prefaces a noun (complement) clause (also called a content clause), it’s often
omitted after verbs expressing a mental or verbal process:
We knew (that) the idea was yours.
He thought (that) he said it.
Constructions like these, with that omitted, abound in everyday discourse. They serve to express
the speaker’s stance or that of others, and are equally useful and common in fiction writing,
according to Longman Grammar (1999) research. The omission of that very often happens when
a personal pronoun is the subject of the following clause, and especially when it refers back to the
subject of the main clause, as in the second example above. But in academic style, when the
clause complements an abstract noun for a mental or verbal construct, e.g., assumption, belief,
doubt, suggestion, that is normally expressed. For example:
Doubts that the government would fund the project…quickly surfaced
The suggestion that younger people were included was quickly…
The divergent patterns of speech / fictional writing and more formal written English would explain
why the omission of that from complement clauses is often thought of as ‘informal,’ though it’s
really a matter of different constructions.
c) In various kinds of adverbial clauses, that is also omitted, depending on the formality of style.
This is especially true when it functions as part of a compound conjunction, for example:
We were so exhausted (that) we didn’t care.
They would be there provided (that) we did all the catering.
The constructions without that present the briskness of speech, rather than the decorum of
formal writing.

3 That as an adverb. Some adverbial uses of that are more or less standard English, as when it
serves as an intensifier of other adverbs, in nonassertive contexts (Comprehensive Grammar,
1985).
Is it that far to Moscow?
The course isn’t that easy.
Apart from its use in negative and interrogative constructions, that serves occasionally as a
modifier of much:
It should be that much easier to do.
But the use of that as an intensifier of adjectives is still quite colloquial:
They were that excited about the trip to Russia.
The standard intensifying word for modifying adjectives is so. See further under intensifiers.

Peters, P. The Cambridge Guide to English Usage. 2004.

Common questions

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In compound subordinating conjunctions, 'that' provides a formal linkage, as seen in phrases like 'provided that' or 'in order that.' In these instances, 'that' often remains unomitted to clearly establish relationships between clauses. Conversely, when introducing adverbial clauses, 'that' often gets omitted in less formal contexts, making expressions like 'so tired (that) we slept right away' typical in speech but less so in formal writing .

The omission of 'that' after personal pronouns in complement clauses frequently occurs when the pronoun is the subject of the subsequent clause. This is especially common when the pronoun refers back to the main clause's subject, streamlining the construction. For instance, 'He thought (that) he said it' omits 'that' naturally due to the redundancy of specifying it in context .

The omission of 'that' in complement clauses is often deemed informal because it commonly occurs in everyday speech or fictional writing. However, in academic writing, particularly when the clause complements an abstract noun like assumption or belief, 'that' is normally expressed to maintain formality and clarity. This divergence in usage explains why omitting 'that' is considered informal, although it simply reflects different construction norms .

'That' can serve as a clause connector in three main ways: as a relative pronoun, which can often be omitted, especially when it is the object of the relative clause; by introducing a noun or complement clause, often omitted after verbs indicating mental or verbal processes; and by introducing adverbial clauses, where it may be omitted depending on style. 'That' also appears in several compound subordinating conjunctions .

The omission of 'that' in relative clauses is influenced by grammatical and stylistic factors. It often disappears in conversation and writing when it serves as the object, for example, 'The program (that) we watched.' However, when 'that' is the subject, as in 'A program that was impactful,' it must be expressed in current written English. The decision to omit depends on the clause's role in sentence structure and the norms of formality and stylistics currently in practice .

The statement's accuracy arises from 'that' predominantly appearing in informal restrictive relative clauses, where it typically precedes the defining content and can be omitted for brevity. 'Which' tends to appear more in formal contexts or when detailing nonrestrictive, additional information. The choice is governed by the need for specificity and the level of formality desired in the sentence structure .

As an adverb, 'that' intensifies other adverbs or adjectives, typically in nonassertive contexts. It can function in questions or negatives, such as in intensifying expressions like 'that far to Moscow' or 'isn't that easy.' This usage differs from its roles as a pronoun, determiner, or clause connector, where it provides linkage or reference rather than an intensifying function .

In formal writing, 'that' is used more frequently to maintain clarity, particularly when introducing complement clauses for abstract nouns like 'belief' and 'suggestion.' Its use helps uphold sentence coherence by explicitly linking clauses, preventing ambiguity that might arise from omission, unlike in informal writing where such links are inferred from context .

The demonstrative 'that' differs from 'this' by representing something further away from the speaker or writer, while 'this' draws attention to something closer or more immediate. In written English, 'that' must have an antecedent in the text to refer to. In conversation, 'that' often refers to something in the physical context and is much more common than 'this', used over seven times more often according to the Longman Grammar corpus from 1999 .

In fiction writing, 'that' is often omitted to align with natural speech patterns, enhancing readability and representing authentic dialogue. However, in academic writing, the presence of 'that' is more typical as it accompanies abstract nouns and constructs, promoting precision and explicitness inherent in formal styles .

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