That : conjuction or relative adverb?

Question

I am very confused whether "that" is conjuction or relative adverb.

1) I believe the fact that Jane likes John. [conjunction]

2) I don't know the way that he solved the problem. [relative adverb]

3) You have the problem that water could stick to your lens.

is "that" conjuction or relative adverb?

Is there any good way to know the difference easily?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

NddadI am very confused whether "that" is conjunction or relative adverb. 1) I believe the fact that Jane likes John. [conjunction]2) I don't know the way that he solved the problem. [relative adverb]3) You have the problem that water could stick to your lens.is "that" conjunction or relative adverb?

Your terminology (conjunction / relative adverb) for 'that' is somewhat unusual, but if I understand it correctly, "that" is a conjunction in your third example. I assume that your grammar book uses those terms.

NddadIs there any good way to know the difference easily?

It's not necessarily easy, but for the case you call a "relative adverb" "that" replaces some element that is left out of the clause that follows, almost always the subject or direct object, but it could be any noun phrase.

he solved the problem that way> the way that he solved the problem ____

For the case you call "conjunction" all the necessary subjects and objects and other noun phrases are present in the clause that follows "that".

the problem that water could stick to your lens

(Not from problem water could stick to your lens or water could stick to your problem lens or water could stick to you lens problem. These are all nonsense.)

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Nddad2) I don't know the way that he solved the problem. [relative adverb]

I wonder whether "that" could be replaced by "in which" in the sentence above, i.e. by a prepositional phrase, and your handbook treats such phrases as "relative adverb".

That : conjuction or relative adverb?

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