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Using 'that that' in a sentence in text...
Main Post:
Is this grammatically correct?
Read this out loud. "My drill isn't very fast. I'm adding a battery to it. I hope that that fixes it."
We know that one of the 'that's in the sentence is referring to the solution presented, which is the battery, and we know that the first one is a supporting word rather than an identifying word.
And so when it's said out loud, that sentence sounds correct.
But when you type it out? Just look at that again.
"My drill isn't very fast. I'm adding a battery to it. I hope that that fixes it."
It's very ugly. So much so that I wonder if there are some things that are considered correct when spoken but not when written?
And the main question.
Is that correct grammar in the first place? What's another way to write that sentence?
"My drill isn't very fast. I'm adding a battery to it. I hope that that fixes it."
Top Comment: Your sentence is grammatically correct for both speech and writing. As you say, the two "that"s have different functions/are different parts of speech, so it is grammatical to use them both. It may look awkward in writing, but that doesn't mean it's incorrect. There are quite a few types of constructions where we use words that have identical forms next to each other (and sometimes these words even function in the same way/are the same parts of speech): "She asked me if I had had breakfast yet." - The first "had" is an auxiliary (helping) verb in the past tense. The second "had" is the main verb (meaning the same as "eaten"), and it's a past participle (not the same thing as past tense). This construction is past tense, perfect aspect. Note that both "had"s are required if you want to use past perfect in this sentence. "What it is is awful." - Here, both occurrences of "is" are 3rd person singular present-tense verb forms, and both are required. However, your first "that" (which is a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause) can actually be omitted (the conjunction "that" can very frequently be omitted): "I hope that fixes it." - The "that" here is the pronoun referring back to the action of "adding a battery to it." This "that" is necessary to tell us what you're referring to, but the first "that" introducing the clause is not necessary. So much so that I wonder if there are some things that are considered correct when spoken but not when written? The answer to this is yes (sort of), but not really in the way that you're talking about. Many things that are considered correct/acceptable in speech (and informal writing) would not be considered correct for formal writing or on a grammar test. For example, it is not incorrect to use "gonna" instead of "going to" in speech, but you wouldn't want to do this in formal writing or on a grammar test. Similarly, you can have constructions that are correct in non-standard dialects but which would not be considered correct in formal writing, which is generally expected to be in Standard English. For example, "Give it me!" is correct in my dialect, but I would be expected to write "Give me it!," or more likely, "Give it to me!" (because this is more formal), in formal writing.
Reddit - The heart of the internet
Main Post: Reddit - The heart of the internet
How do you remember whether to use 'that' or 'which'?
Main Post:
I want to write one of the following:
- It cannot apply to any design which is incapable of registration.
or
- It cannot apply to any design that is incapable of registration.
I used not to care about this but then my boss had a go at me about it. He explained it very badly and I don't get it. Which should it be and are there any easy ways to remember? Or is it not really that important?
Top Comment: There's another element of the restrictive vs. nonrestrictive distinction that I don't feel is captured by any of the comments below. "That" serves to add information that distinguishes the noun from different members of the same class, whereas "which" ascribes information to the class as a whole. Apples that are red go in the basket. Apple, which are red, go in the basket. The first implies that some apples do not go in the basket because it distinguishes red apples from non-red apples. The second means that all apples go in the basket and that all are red.
People who respond with “this” or “this is it” on Reddit
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I find this response incredibly annoying and I’m seeing it more and more. Do you have something else interesting to add? Why can’t you just say I agree with... whatever/whoever? Maybe I don’t think this is it.
Idk maybe it’s just me. I find it really stupid and annoying though.
Top Comment: Because they already said EXACTLY what I was going to say and I want them to know that we’re tight now.
What does this mean?
Main Post:
“Get a load of this.” I have heard it recently and I can’t figure out what does it mean. Thoughts?
Top Comment: Like "check this out". Here's something that will surprise you