Quote:
Originally Posted by FurnaceFace
"That" is used far too much, especially in writing. People often use it was a connector word and the sentence is much better without it. Case in point, I just read the following: "We know that this mission is not only achievable - it is well within our grasp." Just say "We know this mission is not only achievable - it is well within our grasp."
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I think the sentence is clearer with the "that" included. When you omit it, it's more difficult to anticipate where the sentence is going. There are two parts: 1) We know something. 2) Here's what we know. With the conjunction omitted, it's more difficult to tell where the first part ends and the second part begins.
It's easier to tell you what I mean with a different example:
"I know this man will serve us faithfully."
"I know that this man will serve us faithfully."
On reading the first sentence, the first sentence takes a second to interpret. You start with "I know this man," which is a perfectly sensible thought on its own. Then you're forced to re-interpret what you just read when you realize that the thing you know is something *about* this man, not the man himself. With "that" connecting the two, you mentally pause after "I know," and ask yourself "okay, what do you know?"
Oh well...that's a long response for a short complaint. I'm also basing this on my experience with many, many poorly written documents. Your experience may vary!
