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001 - BBC - Omitting THAT

1. There are several instances where the word "that" can be omitted, especially in informal speech. This includes after reporting verbs like "learned" and "felt", and also more common verbs like "say" and "tell". "That" can also be omitted in two-word conjunctions like "so that" and "now that" when used informally. 2. When used as a relative pronoun, "that" can be omitted when it is the object of a relative clause but not when it is the subject. This applies whether the relative pronoun refers to things or people. 3. Exercises and homework are provided to practice omitting relative pronouns.

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191 views1 page

001 - BBC - Omitting THAT

1. There are several instances where the word "that" can be omitted, especially in informal speech. This includes after reporting verbs like "learned" and "felt", and also more common verbs like "say" and "tell". "That" can also be omitted in two-word conjunctions like "so that" and "now that" when used informally. 2. When used as a relative pronoun, "that" can be omitted when it is the object of a relative clause but not when it is the subject. This applies whether the relative pronoun refers to things or people. 3. Exercises and homework are provided to practice omitting relative pronouns.

Uploaded by

Eliana Antonopoulos
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Omitting THAT:

There are a number of instances where it is possible, even desirable, to omit that.
 
1. that as conjunction with reporting verbs
 

a) After verbs like learned, discovered, found (out), knew, felt, thought, it is quite
natural to omit that, especially in informal speech:
I discovered Julian had borrowed my car without my permission.
I felt he was wrong to do this, but he thought it would be all right.
 
b) After the more common reporting verbs, (e.g. say, tell) it is also entirely natural to
omit that in informal speech:
I told him I'd be back by ten o'clock but he said he needed me here by nine.
 
c) After certain verbs (e.g. replied, shouted) and normally after nouns that is not
omitted:
The Dean of the Humanities Faculty informed the students that the drama dept was going to
close.
He left a message on my voice mail that he was leaving immediately for Vienna.
I replied (to his message) that he should remain in Britain.
He shouted at me that he was fed up with living in Britain.
 
2. omitting that in two-word conjunctions
 
There are a number of two-word conjunctions where that may be omitted. These
include so that and now that which we can use to talk about purpose and result and
providing that and provided that which we can use to talk about imposing conditions.
 
In a more formal style we may prefer to retain that, but in an informal style it is often
omitted. Compare the following:
We intend to send her to Brazil so that she can perfect her Portuguese. (formal)
I spent Easter with Anneke in Switzerland so I could learn to ski. (informal)
Now that we've joined the EU, prices are sure to rise. (formal)
Now the exams are over I can lie in bed all morning. (informal)
Provided /providing that you sign the contract before we join the EU, you won't have to pay VAT. (F)
You can borrow my DVD player, providing / provided you return it on Monday. (INF)
 
3. omitting that as relative pronoun
 
a) When that is the object in a relative clause, we normally leave it out:
The work (that / which) she does for this company is much appreciated.
The representatives of the company (that / who) I met in Portugal were very helpful.
 In these sentences, that can be used to refer to both things and people, whereas which
as a relative pronoun can only refer to things and who can only refer to people.
 
b) When the relative pronoun (that / who / which) is the subject of a relative clause, it
cannot be omitted:
Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands that / which lies to the north east of Mallorca.
We have a number of friends who / that have built holiday homes on the island.

Exercises:
https://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/509.html
https://www.englishrevealed.co.uk/FCE/fce_grammar/omitting_relative_pronoun.php
https://www.englishgrammar.org/omission-exercise/
Homework:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-
intermediate/relative-clauses-defining-relative-clauses

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