ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Can that be omitted?

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 10:01:25 GMT

Thank you for answering me.i am now understand it.

Re: Can that be omitted?

Mister Micawber — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 23:55:05 GMT

1-- the second must be omitted if the first has been.

2-- Yes, the first or both can be omitted, but they are better left here. As a sentence gets longer and more complex, the function of conjunctions becomes more critical to clarity.

Re: Can that be omitted?

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:21:26 GMT

Oh!..i highlight the wrong that.

(combined)President Jefferson believed that the headwaters of the Missouri might reach all the way to the Canadian border and that he could claim all that land for the United States.

(1)If the first "that" is omitted, is it right (that) the second one must be omitted too?

(2)If the second "that" is omitted, the first one can either be remained or omitted?

Thank you!

Re: Can that be omitted?

Mister Micawber — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 11:56:22 GMT

In Q1 you cannot omit the second that (that land) because it is the demonstrative adjective, not the relative pronoun. The other that can be omitted.

In Q2 the second and third that can be omitted. The basic rule is that that can be omitted as long as the meaning is not confused by doing so. There are other restrictions-- that cannot be omitted when it is the subject of the clause: The dog that ate my sandwich has disappeared.

PS: Oh, I see-- you highlighted the wrong that in Q1. Yes, the that before he could can be omitted, but the sentence is clearer if it is retained.

Can that be omitted?

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 10:57:48 GMT

Q1:

(1)President Jefferson believed that the headwaters of the Missouri reached all the way to the Canadian border.
(2)He also believed that meant he could claim all that land for the United States.
(combined)President Jefferson believed that the headwaters of the Missouri might reach all the way to the Canadian border and that he could claim all that land for the United States.

The word "that" after believe can be omitted sometimes, but can i omit these two "that"in about sentence and why?

Q2:

He believe that he is thin.

He believe that Mary is beatiful.

He believe that Tom is a good man.

He believe that he is thin , that Mary is beautiful and that Tom is a good man.<<It is right? Can i omit the second and third "that"in this sentence?

Thank^^