In the sentence ‘The reason that teaching history is a political act is clear,’ many learners of English may find themselves puzzled by the use of ‘that’. This article will explore the function of ‘that’ in this context and clarify the difference between its usage as a relative pronoun and as a complementizer.
What is ‘That’ in This Sentence?
The word ‘that’ in this sentence is functioning as a complementizer. A complementizer introduces a noun clause, which acts as the subject of the sentence. The phrase ‘that teaching history is a political act’ is a noun clause that is the subject of the sentence, and it explains what ‘the reason’ refers to.
While ‘that’ is often used as a relative pronoun in sentences to provide additional information about a noun, in this sentence, it connects the noun ‘reason’ to the clause that follows it, effectively introducing the clause as an explanation of the reason. This is different from the usage of ‘that’ in relative clauses.
Why Not Use ‘Why’ in This Context?
Some may wonder why ‘why’ cannot be used in place of ‘that’. While both ‘that’ and ‘why’ are used to introduce clauses that explain reasons, they are used differently in a sentence. ‘Why’ is typically used in questions or in clauses that provide direct answers to questions. However, in statements like this one, ‘that’ is the correct choice because it introduces a noun clause that serves as the subject of the sentence.
In the sentence ‘The reason that teaching history is a political act is clear,’ the structure requires a noun clause to function as the subject, and ‘that’ is the appropriate complementizer to connect the reason with the explanation that follows.
How Does This Relate to the Sentence That Follows?
The following sentence, ‘Educators can choose which historical facts to include in history textbooks,’ is a continuation of the explanation provided in the noun clause. This sentence gives more specific details about the reason mentioned earlier, supporting the claim that teaching history can be a political act. The use of ‘that’ in the first sentence helps set up this logical flow, making the connection between the reason and the example clear.
Summary: Understanding ‘That’ as a Complementizer
In conclusion, ‘that’ in the sentence ‘The reason that teaching history is a political act is clear’ is used as a complementizer to introduce a noun clause. This structure helps explain the reason for the statement and is grammatically distinct from the use of ‘that’ as a relative pronoun. Understanding this usage will improve your ability to construct complex sentences in English, especially when expressing reasons or explanations.
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