That Darn "That"
Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 04:30PM 
We all know that there are many over-used words in the English language. In my mind, “that” is one of the most unnecessarily used words. Don’t believe me? Reread the first sentence again. Does it stand on its own without the “that”?
The word “that” often appears where it isn’t needed. I’ll admit that I over-use it at times myself. It’s very easy to do. However, as a writer and editor, the unnecessary usage of “that” is a pet peeve of mine. I kind of relate it to the Valley Girl usage of the word “like”.
Keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with the first sentence at all. The use of the word “that” is very much a matter of taste. Unfortunately, it’s a taste that I never acquired, and here’s why:
Every word in a press release is important. Ideally your releases should be short and to the point, and every word that you use should help your story progress. Many times, the use of the word “that” actually slows the reader down. Reread the first sentence of this post again – both with and without the “that”. Did you notice that the extra syllable creates a slight stutter?
So, why do we use “that” so freely? Easy, it’s a colloquial part of our language that we don’t recognize as conversational. Unlike the word “like”, the informal use of “that” doesn’t always stand out in print.
Don’t get me wrong, obviously not every “that” is unnecessary. It tends to be over-used as a conjunction, but usually appears correctly as a pronoun, abverb and adjective. If you’re interested in learning more about the word itself, you can find definitions here or here.
According to the AP Style guide you should use “that” to introduce a dependent clause if the sentence sounds or looks awkward without it. While there are no hard-and-fast rules for including “that”, the Stylebook does say that if you’re in doubt, it’s best to err on the side of inclusion.
Luckily, you can easily catch an unnecessary “that” by simply rereading a sentence. As you reread your release, do the same thing that you did with the first sentence of this blog post. Read it once with the “that” in place, and once without it. If it isn’t a necessary part of the sentence, feel free to delete it. But remember that it’s a matter of personal taste.
This drill may sound annoying at first, but you’ll get used to it after doing it a couple times. Want some practice? Scattered throughout this post you’ll find several instances where the word “that” could be omitted. Did you catch them? If you did, you probably thought that I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching.
How many “thats” did you find in this post (not counting the ones in quotes)? And how many of them would you omit yourself?
Reader Comments (4)
Another line of thought
Having learned about overusing "this and that" from a former editor, I eliminated most usages in press releases - until my new boss and editor went back in and replaced all of my omissions of the word. His rationale was the end audience largely preferred easy reading and the usage of "that" made them feel more comfortable and at ease. With “that” being said, I totally agree with your assessment of “this” particular topic.
I found at least 10 thats without quotes, which made me wonder why quotes were used after the first time. I would have deleted all of the thats, with the exception of the ones essential to making your point. I also wonder why the article is littered with "there are" constructions. Avoid them and use more active verbs. Finally, my stylebook insists the periods and commas belong inside the quotes. What does yours say?
Here's one that bothers me: "usage" when "use" would do.
Here's another: "alternate" when "alternative" is more accurate. Alternate makes me think of taking turns. Alternative means there is a choice.
How about "service" when "serve" would do? Service as a verb will always make me think of inseminating livestock.
I realize that language is dynamic, but why do we use "access" as a verb? Or "quote" as a noun? I studied with a professor who was particularly annoyed with the last.
Nancy Johnsen Curran
I'm on a rant today!
I find annoying the use of "good" in the place of "well," as in "You did good in the interview." This is exceeded in the annoyance factor only by "You done good."
One may do good and one may do well. One may do well at doing good and one may do good while doing well.
And another thing: anticipating the objective. "Whom are you going to call?" is an example of the zeal to be correct as in "They invited he and I."