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Ivanhr Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Using that in place of it

I had pizza at Lombardi’s yesterday. That was delicious.


This last sentence sounds strange to me but the author says it's just more emphatic than "It was delicious". ( https://www.myhappyenglish.com/free-english-lesson/2014/01/22/it-vs-that-in-grammar-conversation-english-lesson/#comments )


What do you think?

  

Top answer

I certainly find that more emphatic than it. I see nothing wrong with that , though. As that is less of ten used than it in situations like your example, it is understandable that many native speakers may think it odd.

— Cool Breeze

  • I certainly find that more emphatic than it.
  • I see nothing wrong with that , though.
  • As that is less of ten used than it in situations like your example, it is understandable that many native speakers may think it odd.
  • English has a very large vocabulary, but paradoxically people usually use the same words and expressions to the extent that the slightest deviations may sound unnatural or even incorrect.
  • A few years ago the words idiomaticity and idiomaticalness were discussed on EF.
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3 Answers
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I certainly find that more emphatic than it. I see nothing wrong with that, though. As that is less of ten used than it in situations like your example, it is understandable that many native speakers may think it odd. English has a very large vocabulary, but paradoxically people usually use the same words and expressions to the extent that the slightest devia

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"That" is only possible in a certain setting. For instance:

Jill: I heard you had pizza at Sal's yesterday. Why? You said before it was disgusting.

Jack: You heard wrong. I had pizza at Lombardi's yesterday. That was delicious.

Yes, it is more emphatic, but it sounds strange if you try to simply use "that" in place of "it" for no reason other than emphasis.

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IvanhrI had pizza at Lombardi’s yesterday. That was delicious. This last sentence sounds strange to me ...

To me as well. "It was delicious" is the neutral form.

If you underline and capitalize THAT, meaning it's pronounced with stress, and place the whole interchange after a bit of dialog that makes the given sentences a contrasting idea, then you'l

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