The sentence ‘Later that month, vice president made an announcement that she felt certain increase her popularity with voters’ contains an important grammar point regarding the use of the word ‘that.’ Let’s break it down to understand the function of ‘that’ and whether it’s possible to omit it.
What Does ‘That’ Do in the Sentence?
In this sentence, the word ‘that’ is functioning as a relative pronoun introducing a relative clause. Specifically, it connects ‘announcement’ with the clause ‘she felt certain increase her popularity with voters,’ which provides more information about the announcement. The relative pronoun ‘that’ is necessary to link the noun ‘announcement’ with the additional detail in the relative clause.
Can ‘That’ Be Omitted?
In many cases, ‘that’ can be omitted, especially in informal writing or speech. However, in more formal contexts or when the sentence might become unclear without it, ‘that’ is kept. In your sentence, omitting ‘that’ might be possible in casual speech, but it is grammatically clearer and more precise when included, as it defines the relationship between ‘announcement’ and the clause.
Why Is ‘That’ Used in This Case?
The use of ‘that’ here clarifies the relationship between the noun ‘announcement’ and the relative clause. It acts as a connector, making the sentence structure more coherent. Without ‘that,’ the sentence would be more difficult to follow, as it would lack the necessary link between the two parts of the sentence.
When to Omit ‘That’
In general, ‘that’ can be omitted when it is not crucial to the meaning of the sentence or when it does not cause any ambiguity. This usually occurs in sentences with restrictive relative clauses where the meaning remains clear even without ‘that.’ For example, ‘She said she felt certain it would increase her popularity with voters’ would still make sense without ‘that,’ but it would be less formal.
Conclusion: Clarity and Formality
In conclusion, while ‘that’ can sometimes be omitted in casual contexts, its presence is important for clarity, especially in formal writing or speech. In your example sentence, ‘that’ helps clearly connect the noun ‘announcement’ with the relative clause, making the sentence more understandable. It’s always a good idea to use ‘that’ when in doubt, especially in formal contexts.
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