Proper use of the word that in a sentence

Proper Usage of «That» in English

Updated on November 26, 2019

The word ‘that’ is a common word in English that is used in many different ways. Did you notice the use of ‘that’ in the previous sentence? In this case, ‘that’ was used as a relative pronoun as a complement. Often ‘that’ can be used or left out of a sentence entirely. For example, many English students know (that) you can leave out ‘that,’ depending on the instance. This guide to the use of ‘that’ will help you understand when to use the word, as well as when it’s okay to leave it out.

‘That’ as a Determiner

‘That’ is used as a determiner at the beginning of sentences to indicate one object which is far from the speaker. Note that the plural form of ‘that’ as a determiner is ‘those.’ ‘That’ and ‘those’ is generally used with ‘there’ to indicate that the object(s) is not close to the speaker.

Examples

• That’s my friend Tom over there.
• That’s a pencil you have in your hand.
• Those paintings are by Cezanne.
• That is my house on the corner of the street.

‘That’ as a Relative Pronoun

‘That’ can be used as a relative pronoun to connect two clauses. In this case, ‘that’ can also be substituted by ‘who’ or ‘which.’

Examples: That = Which

Tom bought the apples that the man was selling.
OR
Tom bought the apples which the man was selling.

Examples: That = Who

Peter invited the boy that was new in class.
OR
Peter invited the boy who was new in class.

‘That’ in a Clause as an Object

‘That’ can be used in clauses that act as the object of a verb.

Examples

• Jennifer hinted that she would be late for class.
• Doug knew that he needed to hurry up.
• The teacher suggested that we finish our homework.

‘That’ in a Clause as a Complement to a Noun or an Adjective

‘That’ can be used in a clause following a noun or an adjective as a complement. A complement helps give additional information about the noun or adjective. It answers the question ‘why.’

Examples

• Peter is upset that his sister wants to drop out of high school.
• Mr. Johnson appreciates our efforts that have brought in a lot of donations.
• She is certain that her son will be accepted to Harvard.

‘That’ Clause as Subject of a Sentence

‘That’ clauses can introduce a phrase acting as the subject of a sentence. This use of ‘that’ clauses is somewhat formal and is not common in everyday speech.

Examples

• That it is so difficult is hard to understand.
• That Mary feels so sad is very upsetting.
• That our teacher expects us to do two hours of homework every day is crazy!

The Fact That …

Related to the use of ‘that’ clauses as a subject is the more common phrase «The fact that…» to introduce a sentence. While both forms are correct, it is much more common to begin a sentence with the phrase «The fact that….»

Examples

• The fact that he wants to see you should make you happy.
• The fact that unemployment is still high proves what a difficult economy this is.
• The fact that Tom passed the test shows how much he has improved.

Compound Conjunctions with ‘That’

There are a number of compound conjunctions (words that connect) with ‘that.’ These expressions tend to be used in formal English and include:

«in order that,» «so that,» «providing that,» «in case that,» «now that,» «given that»

Examples

• He purchased the computer so that he might improve his typing.
• Susan told him she would marry him providing that he found a job.
• Alice feels happy now that she has moved into a new home.

After Reporting Verbs

‘That’ can be dropped after reporting verbs such as say (that), tell someone (that), regret (that), imply (that), etc.

Examples

• Jennifer said (that) she was in a hurry.
• Jack told me (that) he wanted to move to New York.
• The boss implied (that) the company was doing very well.

After Adjectives

Some adjectives can be followed by ‘that’ when answering the question ‘why.’ ‘That’ can be dropped after the adjective.

• I’m happy (that) you found a new job.
• She’s sad (that) he’s going to move to New York.
• Jack is anxious (that) he didn’t pass the test.

As Object in Relative Clauses

It’s common to drop ‘that’ when it is the object of the relative clause it introduces.

• He invited the boy (that) he met on the train.
• Shelly purchased the chair (that) she had seen at the auction.
• Alfred wants to read the book (that) Jane recommended.

The proper use of the relative pronouns who, that, and which relate the subject of a sentence to its object, hence the name. The question of which of the three words to use in a given context vexes some writers; here’s an explanation of their relative roles.

Who, Whom, and Whose

Who and whom refer only to people, and whose almost always does so:

“I have a friend who can help.”

“Whom you associate with is your concern.”

“The person whose jacket was left behind is the likely culprit.”

(Whose is sometimes used to refer to an object, as in “Notice the car whose headlights are off.” This awkward usage should be replaced by, for example, “Notice the car that has its headlights off” or, better, “Notice the car with its headlights off.”)

That

That refers mostly to things, though a class or type of person is also sometimes referred to by this pronoun:

“He has the key that fits in this door.”

“This is a team that is going places.”

“He’s the kind of doctor that volunteers at a clinic on his day off.”

Even though the previous sentence is technically correct, it’s usually best to maintain a distinction between people and not-people by using who in reference to a type of person: “He’s the kind of doctor who volunteers at a clinic on his day off.” (The use of that in association with people itself, however, is well attested, as in “I don’t like the kind of people that she hangs out with.”) But a class of people is always considered a thing, not a person, so a sentence like “This is a team who is going places” is never correct.

Which

Which, like that, refers to things, but a further consideration is that American English usage usually frowns on this word when it appears in a restrictive, or essential, clause, such as “I chose the card which is blank.” This sentence, which specifies a card among one or more others that are not blank, has a meaning distinct from “I chose the card, which is blank,” which refers to a single card and then describes it. (This is an example of a nonrestrictive, or nonessential, clause.)

To further clarify that distinction, the restrictive form is generally illustrated by using that in favor of which, which is reserved for a nonrestrictive function, as in the preceding phrase. (One exception occurs when which is preceded by another usage of that, as in the sentence “What is good is that which is natural.”)

(This form is sometimes called nonessential because the information that follows which is not required. In the first sample sentence, which is better rendered “I chose the card that is blank,” the card’s blank state is essential to the context. In “I chose the card, which is blank,” all we need to know is that the card was chosen; its quality of blankness is incidental.)

Many writers and speakers of American English deplore the artificial distinction of favoring that over which in restrictive usage, but it is practical and well established — two valid criteria for any variation in purely logical grammar.

In both cases, that is the That-Complementizer, a marker for a tensed Noun Clause, or Complement.

In the first case, both that‘s are proper, since the repetition marks the two tensed complements that are conjoined by and, thus avoiding ambiguity, which is always a problem in a clause like this.

In the second case, the construction so Adj that S/such a NP that S uses the same complementizer that to mark the complement clause.

That complementizers can be deleted if they are obvious, as in sentences like

• She thinks (that) Mary likes him.
• I’m so tired (that) I can’t sleep.

but not if they mark a subject complement and come first in a sentence

• That he arrived late is really his own fault.
• *He arrived late is really his own fault.

because the complementizer is needed as a flag to parse the clause.

However, the longer a sentence is, and the more grammatical complexities it has, the more it is usually not a good idea for a writer to delete every marker (article, preposition, pronoun, complementizer, etc.) that one can, just because it is possible.

Generally there is a function that these markers serve, to clarify a sentence, and one should always be aware that they’re potentially there, whether one deletes them or not. Putting them back in is the first thing that a writer should do when a sentence is getting troublesome.

Originally, quintessential meant having to do with the fifth essence which is the fifth stage in the refining process. It also refers to a fifth element beyond the four elements we’re already all so familiar with – earth, wind, fire, and air. Some say that it relates to a fifth sphere that’s located outside of the Earth, somewhere in the old geocentric heaven model.

This is a sphere that’s meant to be perfect since it’s located so far away from the dirt and drudge that’s so commonly found on the Earth itself In any of these cases, there’s one thing they all have in common and that’s this: something that’s quintessential is something that’s to be perfect.

We use «Quintessential» as an adjective (a word or phrase that modifies a noun – a person, place, or thing) that means something is the «perfect example.» Some have used the word to mean «typical» though. In either case, since it’s an adjective it requires a noun to modify. 

This noun can be either abstract or general. However, since it modifies a noun it’s important for the verb to be a form of «to be.» Sometimes the word quintessential can be used as a verb, «quintessentially.»

Examples Of The Correct Usage Of The Word «Quintessential»

When you want to use the word quintessential as an adjective, it’s important that you do so correctly. To help you with this, here are some examples of how to correctly use the word quintessential in a sentence:

• Everyone thinks of him as the quintessential Californian.
• If you want to make the quintessential Corsican meal, roast some garlic with sheep’s milk.
• She was the quintessential Barbie girl.
• In my opinion, the quintessential American musical was Grease.
• An example of the quintessential big city is New York.
• A tall, dark, handsome man who looks great in a suit is the quintessential hero.
• The quintessential pastime of rich and famous women is a day at the spa.
• The quintessential heavy metal guitarist is one who wears black clothes and has lots of tattoos.
• On a hot summer day the quintessential fruit to eat is watermelon.
• The telegraph was the quintessential means of message delivery prior to the invention of the modern telephone.

Etymology Of The Word «Quintessential»

Quint is a word that dates back to the seventeenth century, late Middle English where it was used as a philosophical term used to describe a fifth element (coming after earth, wind, fire, and air). It’s derived from the French language, but originally it comes from the medieval Latin word quinta (quintus meaning fifth; quinque meaning 5) essentia. Here the word meant «fifth essence.» The word is also found in the Italian language (quinto meaning fifth) with the same origins.

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, quinta essentia was translated quintessence. Later, the word quintessential was derived from this word. It was originally used to describe something that filled the universe beyond the Earth. Today, the word is still being used in modern physics where it’s used to describe a hypothetical form of dark energy..

Defining The Word «Quintessential»

Something is said to be quintessential when it typifies a perfect experience. This word can also be used to describe someone who’s the perfect example of something (e.g. a salesperson, an athlete). However, the word consummate (adjective meaning complete or perfect) may be a better word to use in this context.

There are several acceptable definitions of the word quintessential today. The main definition of the word is someone that’s representative (perfectly typical) of a certain type of thing or person (e.g. the quintessential New Yorker, the quintessential Italian restaurant). However, there’s also the term that means being a quintessence.

The other acceptable definition for the word quintessential has to do with elements. Herein it’s used to describe something that’s a typical part or a pure example. Oftentimes, when it’s used in this fashion the plural of the word (quintessentials) is used. Here is an example of how this would be used in a sentence: The quintessentials – mustard, catsup, brown sugar, and vinegar – characterize the typical American BBQ sauce.

Proper Use Of The Word «Quintessential» In A Sentence

There are several dictionaries (e.g. MacMillan, Cambridge, Collins) that indicate that quintessential means «representing the best example of a class.» Now that we understand this word’s meaning, you may be wondering if you could simply say that something is the «quintessential example.» When used in this fashion, calling something a quintessential example is much the same as saying something is the most exemplary example. From a pedantic point of view, this is a bit redundant. However, if you aren’t concerned about adhering to strict grammatical rules, you can use the word in this way and most people will understand exactly what you’re trying to say.

Another way in which the word is used, that’s highly debatable, has to do with referring to elementary particles. Many will tell you that there’s no need to use the word quintessential if you’re talking about a concept that’s well-defined, factual and concrete. In other words, when a class has specific traits that are associated with it then you should mention its best exemplar as that would be the quintessential member of its class. Of course, if the class doesn’t have a variable «essence,» then the word quintessential wouldn’t be applicable here anyway. If you talk to any scientist you’ll learn that membership in the «elementary particle» class is binary. This means that either something is or is not a member of the class. In other words, there’s nothing variable about whether something is an elementary particle.

Mistaking The Word «Quintessential» For The Word Essential

A word that quintessential commonly gets mistaken for is the word essential. Oftentimes these two words are used almost interchangeably. Unfortunately, they aren’t even close to one another in terms of how they’re defined. This is why you should consider it a grammatical error when you see this happen.

As far as a correlation between the two words, this is all there is:

• Essential: The essence of something; something that’s necessary to support its basic survival
• Quintessential: The essence of something in its purest form (e.g. comfort, luxury)

When you look at these two words in this way you won’t be able to find anything in the word essential that carries the essence of the word quintessential. Furthermore, when you look up the synonyms for the word essential (e.g. basic, underlying, inherent, intrinsic, fundamental) you’ll see that the word essential is listed as a synonym in the reverse direction. However, when you look up the synonyms for the word quintessential you find that the word essential isn’t listed.

When you take time to consider this for a moment, you’ll see that using the word quintessential in place of the word essential is also a mistake. Even when you take some time to look up the words essential and its adverb (a word that modifies an adjective, verb, or adverb) essentially in the Oxford English Dictionary you won’t be able to find a clear-cut link between the word essential and the word quintessential. Of course, it is also possible that neither dictionary has replaced the words as of yet.

Another way of looking at this is by looking at the definitions of the two words again:

• Essential: Indispensable
• Quintessential: Most typical

Here you can see how they could be used as synonyms for each other. This is something that is supported by Thesaurus.com. However, it’s still important to note that both of these words do have very different and interesting origins. The word quintessential is derived from the word quintessence which is used in referring to a substance’s pure, concentrated essence. Some say that this dates back to when the Greek philosopher, Aristotle wanted to name the fifth element quint essence. On the other hand, the word essential has its meaning in the word essence, which means a thing’s basic, real, invariable nature. The word essence also refers to something’s significant individual features.

Using Synonyms And Antonyms For The Word «Quintessential»

There are a few synonyms that can be used in place of the word quintessential. These include:

• Basic
• Fundamental
• Essential
• Perfect
• Typical
• Ultimate

There are even more antonyms than there are synonyms for this word. These antonyms include the words:

• Average
• Unsatisfactory
• Poor
• Ordinary
• Failed
• Deficient
• Disappointing
• Inferior
• Representative
• Typical
• Vile
• Normal
• Substandard
• Inadequate
• Mediocre
• Bad
• Wretched
• Atrocious

Conclusion

Regardless of how quintessential got its definition, it means that something is the perfect example. While this is the quintessential example of an old word, it’s one that’s still in use today. Don’t be afraid to use it the next time it seems fitting to do so.

One area of English grammar that many international researchers struggle with when they are writing papers is the proper use of articles.

In English, articles are the little words that we put in front of nouns: “the,” “a,” or “an.”

While seemingly unimportant, proofreading your work with a view toward correcting errors in your use of “the” and “a» or «an” can make a difference in the clarity of your writing. In many cases, it gives the reader information, such as if it’s something that’s been previously introduced or if you are referring to something abstract or general or something identifiable and specific.

The

“The” is used before a noun that can be clearly identified by readers; it is called a definite article. “The” is also used before most plural proper nouns and some singular proper nouns.

Examples:

The research focused on the conditions under which sepsis occurred most often.

The patterns could be easily discerned.

Take care when pouring out the liquid.

The Rockies in Colorado are a popular tourist destination.

“The” is used with singular proper nouns in the following categories:

Government bodies (the Congress, the Senate)

Historical periods (the Restoration, the Ming Dynasty)

Religious texts, entities, and leaders (the I Ching, the Methodist Church, the Pope)

Geographical Terms

Sometimes “the” is used with a geographical term, and sometimes it is not.

The following use “the”:

Landmarks (the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum)

Large bodies of water (the Atlantic, the Red Sea)

Points on the globe (the North Pole, the Equator)

Deserts, forests, gulfs, peninsulas, and mountain ranges (the Himalayas, the Sahara Desert)

Tip: If you are unsure if a proper noun takes “the,” try looking it up in a dictionary or usage guide. The Oxford Reference is a good place to try (oxfordreference.com). This will give you several examples of the term being used.

Do not use “the” with the following nouns:

Languages and nationalities (Korean, Arabic)

Subjects (math, reading, biology)

Sports (football, badminton)

Note that the definite article might be used in front of some of these words when they are used as a modifier for another noun, so be sure to determine whether the word is being used in this way, as in the following examples:

The Latin abbreviation

The math book

The badminton team

A/an

“A/an” is used when it comes before something nonspecific or it’s the first time you are using the term; therefore, it’s called an indefinite article. “A” is used before nouns that begin with consonants. “An” is used before nouns that begin with a vowel or a vowel sound. If there’s a modifier between the article and the noun, you choose “a” or “an” based on whatever words comes after it, because it all depends on sound.

For example, “an” would be used here:

an examination

But “a” would be used here:

a thorough examination

In some cases, to decide on whether to use “a” or “an,” you may need to determine the sound of the first letter. For example, if the “h” is silent, as in “hour,” the word begins with a vowel sound, and it would have “an” in front of it. However, “horse” would not because the “h” is pronounced. (Online dictionaries often provide auditory versions of words and/or phonetic spellings.) Other tricky letters to be aware of are “u” (which can sometimes have a “y” sound, as in «ukelele”) and “o” (which can sometimes make a “w” sound, as in “one”). Here are some examples:

A research study undertaken 40 years ago suggested that the drug could be used for pain relief.

A pattern could not be found.

An apple was left outside over the course of 20 days.

It is an odorless gas. 

Note: When referring to the above nouns in subsequent sentences, you would then use the definite article “the” (the study, the pattern, the apple, the gas) because the nouns have now been identified. See the following example:

A major rainstorm moved in. The rain did a lot of damage.  

Because the second sentence is referring to the rain mentioned in the first, “the” is used.

When Articles Are Not Used

Articles are not generally used before a “noncount” noun. Some examples of noncount nouns include sand, milk, and rain and abstractions like joy, anger, and obedience.

The dog was trained for strict obedience.

The medication was associated with bouts of anger.

Articles are also often not needed when the term is used to refer to something in general.

Milk cannot be used as a substitute for infant formula.

Milk is used in a general sense here; it does not refer to one particular cup, bottle, or jug of milk.

Compare the above example to:

The milk in the jug has gone bad.

This refers to specific, identifiable milk.

Acronyms

The same rules for the use of definite and indefinite articles apply to acronyms (phrases in abbreviation using the initial letter of each word).

The APA requires website addresses in bibliographies.

A GOES was used for this research.

(APA refers to the American Psychological Association. “The” is used because it is a proper, identifiable noun.)

(GOES refers to a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite. “A” is used here because there are several of these and a specific one has not yet been identified.)

As an ESL author or even a native English author, correctly using definite and indefinite articles might be your biggest challenge when writing manuscripts, but once mastered, you will significantly boost the clarity of your writing and, in turn, boost your chances of being published and read. The rules given above will hopefully help you master those tricky articles!

References

1. Berry, Chris, and Allen Brizee. “Articles: A versus An,” Purdue OWL. 27 July 2011.

   owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/591/01. Accessed 2 November 2016.

2. Bullock, Richard, et al. The Little Seagull Handbook, 2nd ed. With exercises.

   W.W. Norton & Company, 2014.

3. Lynch, Paul, et al. “Using Articles,” Purdue OWL. 3 March 2011. 

   owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01. Accessed 2 November 2016. 

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About the Author:

Dr. Alyssa Colton has a Ph.D. in English from the University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY). She has taught and worked with students of all levels and backgrounds on writing skills for 20 years. She is a freelance writer and editor specializing in science, health, productivity and career development.