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"That" is a demonstrative pronoun or adjective used to refer to something specific being pointed out, previously mentioned, understood, or evident in the context. Its meaning depends heavily on the context in which it’s used. Here’s a breakdown of the different ways "that" can function:
1. Demonstrative Pronoun:
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"That" can stand alone as a pronoun, replacing a noun or noun phrase.
- Referring to a specific object or person (singular, distant, or less immediate): "Which car do you want?" "I want that one (pointing)." Or, "I like this book more than that." It could refer to something tangible like a car, book, or intangible like an idea.
- Referring to a previously mentioned topic or idea: "He said he was leaving. That surprised me." Here, "that" refers to the entire statement "He said he was leaving."
- Referring to something understood or implied from the context: "Who did that?" (referring to a visible action or situation). In this example, that implies an action performed that the speaker is asking about.
2. Demonstrative Adjective:
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"That" can modify a noun, specifying which one is being referred to.
- Specifying a particular noun (singular, distant, or less immediate): "That house is beautiful." "That man over there is my brother." In these cases, that is limiting the reference to a particular house or man.
- Emphasizing a specific noun: "That problem is what concerns me most." (Emphasis on a particular problem.)
3. Relative Pronoun:
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"That" can introduce a relative clause, providing more information about a noun.
- Introducing an essential (restrictive) clause: "The book that I borrowed is overdue." The clause "that I borrowed" is essential to identify which book is being referred to.
- Used in place of "who" or "which" (though sometimes less formal): "The person that helped me was very kind." (Could also be "The person who helped me…") "The car that I bought is red." (Could also be "The car which I bought…")
4. Subordinating Conjunction:
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"That" can introduce a subordinate clause, often a noun clause, functioning as a subject, object, or complement within a sentence.
- Introducing a noun clause as the subject: "That he’s always late is annoying." The entire clause "That he’s always late" is the subject of the sentence.
- Introducing a noun clause as the object: "I know that she’s coming." The entire clause "that she’s coming" is the object of the verb "know."
- Introducing a noun clause as a complement: "The problem is that we don’t have enough money." The entire clause "that we don’t have enough money" is the complement of the verb "is."
5. Adverb:
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"That" can function as an adverb, usually modifying an adjective or adverb.
- Meaning "so" or "to such a degree": "I’m not that tired." "It wasn’t that difficult."
Determining the meaning of "That":
To understand what "that" refers to, consider:
- The context: What was said before? What is being observed?
- Proximity: Is "that" referring to something nearby or farther away (physically or metaphorically)?
- Singular or plural: "That" is usually singular; the plural form is "those."
- Grammatical function: Is it acting as a pronoun, adjective, or conjunction?
In summary, "that" is a versatile word whose meaning is highly dependent on the specific context in which it is used. It is mainly used as a demonstrative pronoun or adjective to refer to something specific. Other uses include introducing relative clauses or subordinate clauses, or as an adverb.
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