You shouldn’t believe that everything you read.

Question

Are these three sentences correct? You shouldn’t believe everything you read.You shouldn’t believe that everything you read.You shouldn’t believe everything.

Clive · Accepted Answer

1 and 3 are correct.

2 is not.

Mickey Mouse 8241 · Answer

Clive2 is not.

Thanks for your help. Can I ask you why the #2 sentence is wrong? We have the 'noun clause' after 'believe'.

Clive · Answer

You shouldn’t believe that everything you read.

This makes no sense. Here are some things you can say.

You shouldn’t believe that everything you read is true.
You shouldn’t believe everything you read.
You shouldn’t believe everything.

CalifJim · Answer

Mickey Mouse 8241You shouldn’t believe everything.

'believe' can take a noun phrase (NP) complement. Correct.

Mickey Mouse 8241You shouldn’t believe everything (that) you read.

Again, 'believe' takes an NP as its complement. But this time the NP contains a relative clause dependent on the head noun. everything ((that) you read) Correct.

Mickey Mouse 8241You shouldn’t believe that everything you read.

'believe' can take a that-clause as its complement. (I believe that everything is ready for the party.) The that-clause must contain 'that' and a subject and a verb. Your that-clause (that everything you read) contains only 'that' and an NP which functions as a subject. There is no verb to go with the subject everything you read, so everything you read is not a full clause. Not correct.
Your sentence is equivalent to I believe that the shops, which is wrong in the same way.
.
CJ

Mickey Mouse 8241 · Answer

Thanks CalifJim. You are always a great help to me. Thanks for your informative information. I got it . Many thanks.

You shouldn’t believe that everything you read.

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