I vote to "omit" in the examples you give.
All of my rough drafts have too many interpolated 'that's. I routinely go back and cull them.
"That said", he mumbled ...
.brad.16feb08.
As I am reading student essays today, I'm wondering if the use of "that," which many of the students tend to omit, is necessary in certain circumstances and what function it serves. For instance:
1) I think that we should go to the grocery store today rather than Sunday.
vs.
2) I think we should go to the grocery store today rather than Sunday.
or, a 3rd person example, since the above are more representative of speech than writing:
3) Jean thinks that Genuardi's is a better supermarket than Giant.
vs.
4) Jean thinks Genuardi's is a better supermarket than Giant.
My feeling is that "that" should be in the sentence. Does it function as a complementizer in the above sentences? (I tend to get confused with "that" clauses).
Thank you!
Carol Morrison
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