How to combine two sentences using a that-clause
A that-clause is an example of a noun clause. That-clauses can be the subject or object of the verb in the main clause.
Study the example given below.
- I know. You work hard. (Two sentences)
- I know what? – that you work hard
We can combine these two sentences using the connector ‘that’.
- I know that you work hard.
In this sentence, the that-clause acts as the object of the verb know.
Another example is given below.
- I was not going to be at the meeting. I regretted it. (Two sentences)
- I regretted that I was not going to be at the meeting. (One sentence)
- You believe that you are always right. I admire that belief.
- I admire your belief that you are always right.
- He was cheating on her. She knew it.
- She knew that he was cheating on her.
The fact that…
I have already mentioned that a that-clause can act as the subject of a verb. However, this is unusual. In most cases we use the phrase ‘the fact that’.
- She did not speak English. This made it difficult for her to get a good job. (Two separate sentences)
- The fact that she did not speak English made it difficult for her to get a good job.
- The boy had been missing for days. Still, it didn’t seem to worry anybody.
- The fact that the boy had been missing for days didn’t seem to worry anybody.
The expression ‘the fact that’ is also used after prepositions.
- He did not pay attention to the fact that they often starved her. (NOT He did not pay attention to that they often starved her. We cannot put a that-clause immediately after a preposition.)
Quick Links
