that-clause

A term used in some MODELS of English GRAMMATICAL DESCRIPTION to refer to a DEPENDENT DECLARATIVE CLAUSE, introduced by that. The main types are: SUBJECT clauses, e.g. that she wrote surprises me; OBJECT clauses, e.g. she said that she wrote; APPOSITIONAL clauses, e.g. your view, that she’ll write, is rubbish; subject COMPLEMENT clauses, e.g. the trouble is that it won’t happen; ADJECTIVAL complement clauses, e.g. I’m certain that he’ll go; and that-RELATIVE clauses, e.g. The book that I sold . . . The that may be omitted in some circumstances, e.g. he said he would go.