Verbthat

Verbthat is a term used in linguistics to describe a class of verbs that select a that-clause as their complement, expressing propositional content such as belief, assertion, or reporting. The label serves as a concise way to refer to verbs that govern that-clauses.

Etymology and usage: The term verbthat emerged in contemporary discussions of clause complementation, particularly in online forums and introductory syntax resources, as a convenient shorthand for verbs that take that-clauses as their objects or complements. It is not a formal universal category, but a descriptive label used in didactic and exploratory contexts.

Grammar and behavior: Verbs categorized as verbthat typically form dependencies with a following clause introduced by that, though the exact requirements can vary by language and verb. In English, that is often optional: I know that you were there, and I know you were there. The that-clause functions as a proposition embedded under the verb, providing the content of belief, assertion, or report.

Examples: Common verbthat verbs include know, believe, say, think, claim, allege, and report. For instance: I believe that the event will be postponed. She said that she would arrive. I think that it is unlikely.

Cross-linguistic notes: Many languages have complementizers or different patterns for clausal complements. Some require explicit that or other markers, while others permit only bare clauses or alternative subordinators. The term verbthat is primarily an English-centric heuristic and is used to describe a broad, cross-linguistic phenomenon rather than a universal grammatical category.

See also: complement-taking verbs, propositional attitude verbs, that-clause, clausal complementation.