Two questions on a sentence

Question

I told the people what I have learned that only through forming one organization, that through one government as a people as a whole, we will be able to do anything.Q1) Is this part "that only through forming one organization, that through one government as a people as a whole, we will be able to do anything" used to describe "what"? To put it differently, is it possible to use "that-clause" to describe "what" like that?Q2) To me, there should be "and" as in "...organizatiin, and that through one...", because "that through one government as a people as a who" and "that only through forming one organization" are attached to "what". So, Is it sometimes okay to leave out "and"?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

fire1I told the people what I have learned that only through forming one organization, that through one government as a people as a whole, we will be able to do anything.

This sentence is faulty.

The verb "learn" follows these patterns (among others):

1) I learned something. (I learned the multiplication tables. / I like to learn new things. / I have been learning Japanese.)
2) I learned that .... (I learned that the moon is made of cheese. / I learned that Pete is getting married. / We have learned that a plane has crashed in Berlin.)

Your sentence is trying to have both kinds of complements at the same time.

"what I have learned that only ... able to do anything" has two complements of "learn" — "what" and the "that" clause. That's not grammatical.

CJ

Two questions on a sentence

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions