that as a connector
That is a conjunction with little real meaning. It is simply a connector – it shows that a clause forms part of a larger sentence. Compare:
I understood. He was innocent, (two separate sentences)
I understood that he was innocent.
(The clause he was innocent has become the object of the verb in the larger sentence.)
that-clauses in sentences
A that-clause can be the subject of a sentence.
That she should forget me so quickly was rather a shock.
It can be a complement after be.
The main thing is that you’re happy.
Many verbs can have that-clauses as objects.
We knew that the next day would be difficult.
I regretted that I was not going to be at the meeting.
And many nouns and adjectives can be followed by that-clauses.
I admire your belief that you are always right.
The Minister is anxious that nothing should get into the papers.
the fact that…
It is unusual for that-clauses to stand alone as subjects. They are more often introduced by the expression the fact.
The fact that she was foreign made it difficult for her to get a job.
(NOT That she was foreign made it difficult…)
The fact that Simon had disappeared didn’t seem to worry anybody.
(More natural than That Simon had disappeared didn’t…)
The fact
also introduces that-clauses after prepositions cannot follow prepositions directly).
The judge paid no attention to the fact that she had just lost her husband.
(NOT … paid no attention to that she had just…)
He held her completely responsible for the fact that she took food without paying for it. (NOT … -responsible for that she took-…)
In spite of the fact that she had three small children, he sent her to prison for six months, (NOT In spite-of that she had …)
For cases when prepositions are dropped before that-clauses, see prepositions 6: before conjunctions.
preparatory it
It
is often used as a preparatory subject or object for a that-clause (see preparatory it 1: subject-447).
It surprised me that he was still in bed.
(More natural than That he was still in bed surprised me.)
She made it clear that she was not interested, (NOT She made that she was not interested clear.)
For reasons why that-clauses are often moved to the ends of sentences, see sentence structure 4: information structure.
tfiaf-ciauses after verbs, nouns and adjectives
Some verbs, nouns or adjectives can be followed by that- clauses; some cannot. Compare:
I hope that you’ll have a wonderful time.
I want you to have a wonderful time, (NOT I want that you’ll have …)
I understood his wish that we should be there.
I understood the importance of our being there, (NOT .. .-the-importance that we should be there.)
It’s essential that you visit the art museum.
It’s worth your visiting the art museum,
(NOT It’s worth that you visit…) Unfortunately there is no easy way to decide which nouns, verbs or adjectives can be followed by that-clauses. It is best to check in a good dictionary.
verbs in fAiaf-clauses
In some kinds of that-clause, should + infinitive or subjunctives are often used instead of ordinary verb forms. For details, see should 4: in subordinate clauses, see subjunctive.
I insisted that she should see the doctor at once, (OR … that she see …) ?
Some conjunctions are made up of two or more words, including that. Common examples: so that, in order that, provided that, providing that, seeing that, given that, now that.
I got here early so that we could have a few minutes alone together.
I’ll come with you providing that Bill doesn’t mind.
OK, I’ll help you, seeing that you asked so nicely.
Given that Monday is a holiday, we could go to Scotland for the weekend. Now that the kids are at school, the house seems very quiet.
For that-clauses after reporting verbs (‘indirect speech’), see indirect speech 1: introduction-275.
For the relative pronoun that, see relatives 1: basic information.
For more information consult a good dictionary like Langman, Oxford, Merriam Webster, or Collins.
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