How to Avoid Overusing the Word ‘That’ in Your Writing
How to Avoid Overusing the Word ‘That’ in Your Writing
For a few years during elementary school, virtually every sentence my friends and I uttered included the word “like.” This awful speech habit led to plenty of well-deserved ridicule, which made me determined to stop overusing unnecessary words. I thought I was succeeding on this front for years, until I started doing freelance writing assignments for a client who wasn’t a fan of superfluous words, including “that.” Then, I learned just how guilty I was of overusing the word “that” in my writing. It was basically my new, written version of “like.”
While phasing out “like” was pretty simple, removing unnecessary uses of “that” from my writing proved challenging because this word legitimately belongs in many sentences. To help you avoid similar grief, today I’d like to share a few tips for avoiding overusing “that” and using “that” in a sentence correctly.
When to Use ‘That’ in a Sentence
First, it’s important to know when “that” is really needed in a sentence. This word frequently attaches dependent clauses to independent clauses, and it is strictly necessary if a clause begins with certain subordinating conjunctions, such as before, while and in addition to. “That” also should be used before clauses that clarify a noun.
- She said that although the sunrise workout sounded like a brilliant idea, sleeping in also sounded good.
- The notion that their project would be finished by the original deadline was laughable.
“That” additionally should appear after certain verbs, such as contend, estimate and point out. If you’re a native speaker, you can probably intuitively identify many of these verbs.
- He enthusiastically declared that he would stop procrastinating tomorrow.
You also should use “that” if a sentence would sound awkward without it. If you’re in doubt, include it, since this does less harm than incorrectly omitting it.
When to Leave Out ‘That’
To decide whether you can omit “that” from a sentence, check how naturally and intelligibly the sentence reads without it. Usually, you can drop “that” if it follows a verb that essentially means “to say.” This omission mimics natural speech and shouldn’t change the meaning of the sentence.
- The children claimed an ice cream break would help them study more effectively.
- She insisted she wasn’t responsible for the houseplant’s untimely death.
However, it’s usually better to keep “that” if other words fall between the verb and the dependent clause.
- The kids also said this morning that a television break would enhance their studying.
- She admitted begrudgingly that she might have contributed to the plant’s demise.
You also can usually omit “that” if it precedes a simple relative clause.
- Neither of them was particularly excited about the compromise (that) they reached.
Using ‘That’ Twice in a Row
When you’re trimming unnecessary uses of “that” from your writing, be sure to pay attention to sentences where it appears multiple times or even twice in a row (“that that”). These sentences can be grammatically correct but stylistically undesirable. For example, at BKA, we use Associated Press Style, which requires sentences to be constructed in a manner that eliminates consecutive uses of “that.”
- He confessed that that plan had been formulated on three hours of sleep.
- He confessed that they had only slept three hours when they formulated that plan.
Even if you’re not following a strict style guide, it’s often beneficial to try revising sentences to avoid using “that” too redundantly.
Using ‘That’ or ‘Which’
It can be tempting to cut back on “that” by replacing it with “which,” but these words aren’t actually interchangeable. “That” introduces information that is integral to the meaning of a sentence, while “which” precedes information that is non-essential and offset by commas.
- The first kindergarten class that all 31 students attended was miraculously free of mishaps.
- The first kindergarten class, which all 31 students attended, was miraculously free of mishaps.
In this example, each sentence has a distinct meaning. The first describes a specific class when all 31 students were present for the first time, while in the second, the attendance of all 31 kids is a non-essential detail.
Got All That?
Striking the right balance between overusing the word “that” and omitting it improperly takes a little thought, but with practice, it should become second nature. What other common words do people overuse? Tell us about it in the comments section! If you’re looking for help on grammar rules, check out some of our other GrammarSpot posts.
- Spotting and Fixing Sentence Fragments - January 18, 2021
- Refreshing Your Writing With Synonyms - January 9, 2021
- Mastering the AP Style Rules for Abbreviations - December 12, 2020
I’m notoriously overusing “that” in my writing. Thank you for the informative post!
Well, don’t do THAT!
A ‘that’ pet peeve of mine is when it is used where ‘who’ or ‘whom’ should be used. Grrrrr :o)
Thanks for this.
You could have NOT used “THAT” in your first sentence….
In many instances, I think of ‘that’ as a sort of instantaneous mini-flashback grabbing a previous statement in the form of a quantum bundle of reasoning, then pulling it forward into the current moment of reference like a tiny time-machine encapsulating the quantum bundle as an abbreviation — all for the sake of brevity and efficiency in communication. Think of all the ‘time’ it saves when used in this manner. We use ‘that’ unconsciously. It is one of the most overused words in the English language and often incorrectly. In your writing [if using MS Word] , put ‘that’ into your search window and see how many times is shows up on the pages. This will help you clarify and search out your own writer’s peccadillo [if you have that :)] concerning the use of ‘that’.
That explains it… Thank you.
Thank you very much for your article. I also notice this bad habit. I’m sure your article will help me
Interesting – your opening sentence “…virtually every sentence that my friends and I uttered…” uses a superfluous “that” !
You’re right! That sneaky word is hard to avoid, which is the whole reason this article is helpful. 😀
The article has been edited. Thanks!
That that word “that” is overused in a sentence is something that we should all be aware of 😀
I’m editing and self publishing my late husband’s novel he wrote at least 25 years ago. He’s been gone for 21 years. Seventy-five percent into the second edit I noticed his overuse of ‘that’. I had already eliminated quite a few when I decided I needed to do a search and start from the beginning just to eliminate ‘thats’. By then there were over 1800! It took me eight hours to do all 575 pages and I cut them down to nearly half at 950. Next on the third edit, I’ll read it aloud to refine it and hope that’s the last one. Thanks for the tips!
Hmmm. So, you are saying that that ‘that’ that that man used was superfluous?
Haha! Thanks for the laugh. 😀
Thank you for this enlightening article. “That” has baffled me for many years. My usual practice is to put it in if leaving it out makes the sentence confusing or awkward. Confused readers don’t keep reading, and they pass along their disappointment to others.
Curiously, I have found many times I can replace “that” with a present participle. Example: “He climbed the trail that led to the top of the mountain” becomes “He climbed the trail leading to the top of the mountain.” Do you agree with this?
That works well, Frank. Great tip!
How about using “that” after “meaning” when something is explained? I often find my self wanting to exclude it (perhaps too often), but I’m not a native speaker, so what sounds good to me might not be correct. What are your thoughts on this?
Hi, Sara:
I agree. “Meaning that” is clunky. I prefer “which means” or “so.”
– “The doctor said I’m contagious, which means I’m not allowed to work this week.”
– “The doctor said I’m contagious, so I’m not allowed to work this week.”
Thanks!
Amber
Thanks for sharing this useful post. I often use ‘THAT’ in my words and this post will help me to stop using this word.
I now know I often use “that” correctly. Thanks. But it’s far overused in my writing.
Here’s a sentence I’m struggling with. Any suggestions?
The thought kept coming back to me that I needed to discuss the fact there are underlying elements in society that don’t like what America has been and what it could become if allowed to follow the course set forth by its Founding Fathers.
Hi, Bob. I suggest you break it into separate thoughts. Thanks!
I was told in middle school never to use “is that” in a sentence.
Do you agree?
Hi, Mark:
I don’t fully agree with your middle school teachers. Sometimes “is that” will be necessary to improve comprehension.
Ex: “The problem with your paint is you need to stir it.”
Here, the problem equals “you,” which is not correct. The real problem is unstirred paint. Adding “that” (The problem with your paint is that you need to stir it.) helps put some space between “problem” and “you.” It essentially tells the reader that the next clause is going to address the problem. It turns your focus from “The problem with your paint is you” to “you need to stir it.”
Thanks!
Amber
Surely you an apostate of the grammar gods! This is definitely my biggest writing sin and you just brought me one step closer to redemption.
Point of clarification – You note one can “drop ‘that’ if it follows a verb that essentially means ‘to say.'” But, in the section just prior to this statement, you use “that” in the statement “He enthusiastically declared that he would stop procrastinating tomorrow.” Isn’t “declared” a verb that essentially means “to say”? I would have struck the “that” from the procrastination sentence. Do you agree or am I missing something? Thanks!
Hi, Natalie:
It does get tricky between the “contend” and “to say” examples. Hopefully this is an easier way to look at it: “That” can be used in clauses that act as the object of a verb, like with “He enthusiastically declared that he would stop procrastinating tomorrow.”
Thanks for reading!
Needed that! Thank you