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Deborahjeong Posted 8 years ago
Grammar
Can a subjective relative pronoun be omitted?
(1) It was you [ that ] I wanted to meet. (relative pronoun: objective)(2) It was you that told me to say so. (relative pronoun: subjective)
I understand you can definitely omit the objective relative pronoun that in sentence (1). Can you also omit the subjective relative pronoun that in sentence (2)? I do not think so. Could you help me clarify it? Thank you always.
I understand you can definitely omit the objective relative pronoun that in sentence (1). Can you also omit the subjective relative pronoun that in sentence (2)? I do not think so. Could you help me clarify it? Thank you always.
Top answer
Essentially, yes. The 'rule' is that the subordinator "that" cannot normally be omitted if the relativised element is subject of the relative clause, but in other other functions it can. With the odd minor exception, in contexts other than this, "that" is grammatically optional.
- Essentially, yes.
- The 'rule' is that the subordinator "that" cannot normally be omitted if the relativised element is subject of the relative clause, but in other other functions it can.
- With the odd minor exception, in contexts other than this, "that" is grammatically optional.
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1 Answers
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Essentially, yes. The 'rule' is that the subordinator "that" cannot normally be omitted if the relativised element is subject of the relative clause, but in other other functions it can.
With the odd minor exception, in contexts other than this, "that" is grammatically optional.
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