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Henry74 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

It/that

Hello,

This is a passage from the book I'm reading:

A: I can't go. I have responsabilities.
B: But you don't know what they are.
A: Just because I don't know what they are doesn't mean I don't have them.

Is it OK to avoid inserting it or that before the sentence in bold – "[...] it/that doesn't mean I don't have them."?
If so, do you think the three versions differ in meaning or register? Which one would you prefer?

Thank you for your help
H.
  

Top answer

Just because I don't know what they are doesn't mean I don't have them . Casual, informal spoken English . Just because I don't know what they are , it doesn't mean I don't have them .

— Clive

  • Just because I don't know what they are doesn't mean I don't have them .
  • Casual, informal spoken English .
  • Just because I don't know what they are , it doesn't mean I don't have them .
  • Standard English Just because I don't know what they are , that doesn't mean I don't have them .
  • Standard English.
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19 Answers
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Just because I don't know what they are doesn't mean I don't have them. Casual, informal spoken English.


Just because I don't know what they are, it doesn't mean I don't have them. Standard English

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Just because an expression is informal or casual in style doesn’t mean it’s not standard. Emotion: wink
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No doubt we have different views of what standard means.

Clive
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Well, the sentence in question doesn’t seem to me like one belonging characteristically to a non-standard dialect; it’s hardly comparable to something like I didn’t see nobody. In fact, I probably hear the version with no pronoun subject the most often.
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I don't usually hear or read educated people using "#1" in situations where they are trying to use their best English.

Clive
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CliveI don't usually hear or read educated people using "#1" in situations where they are trying to use their best English.
I take it that you regard “informal” and “non-standard” as synonyms. Is that right?
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To some extent. But I don't see such terms as carved in stone.
I think formality/informality of language and formality/informality of the situation both need to be considered.

Clive
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Henry74Is it OK to avoid inserting it or that before the sentence in bold
Yes. In my opinion, not only is it OK, it's preferable. In some twisted neural circuit in my brain the subject of the sentence is

Just because I don't know what they are,

and adding another subject (it or that) seems wrong.

As far as I kn
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