Constructionsthat

Constructionsthat is not a widely established term in language studies, but it can be understood as a reference to that-constructions in English grammar. In this framing, the focus is on clauses that are introduced by the complementizer that, or on relative clauses and related constructions where that plays a functional role. In construction grammar, these forms are seen as schematic form-meaning pairings rather than isolated rules.

The main types of constructionsthat include complement clauses and relative clauses. Complement clauses occur when that introduces a proposition embedded within a larger sentence, as in I believe that you are right. Relative clauses use that to introduce a modifier connected to a noun, as in the idea that you mentioned or the hat that I bought. That can be either optional or obligatory depending on the verb, the syntactic context, and the writer’s or speaker’s style. A common derivative is the fact that constructionsthat can be intensified by the phrase that fact, as in the fact that the project succeeded.

Usage varies across dialects, registers, and speakers. In spoken English, that is often omitted after certain verbs of communication, perception, or cognition, yielding I think you’re right rather than I think that you’re right. In formal writing, that tends to be retained for clarity, emphasis, or because of syntactic embedding. Some languages have parallel constructions with different particles or inflection rather than a separate that.

In linguistic theory, constructionsthat are analyzed as part of larger networks of form-meaning correlations, with debates about processing difficulty, frequency effects, and the interaction between lexical choice and syntactic constraints. Cross-linguistic parallels are common, though the exact realization of that-constructions varies widely. See also that-constructions, that-clauses, and relative clauses.