Unsure When 'That' Is a Pronoun or a Conjunction in My Writing

Question

I'm editing an essay, and I keep running into the word 'that.' I'm confused about whether it's acting as a pronoun or a conjunction in different sentences. For example, in 'The book that I borrowed was interesting,' and 'She said that she would come later,' is 'that' being used differently?

I want to make sure I'm using the right grammar terms and not making mistakes when I write. Can someone explain how to tell when 'that' is a pronoun and when it's a conjunction?

Context:
I'm writing a formal academic essay for my university class.

Nora Grammar · Accepted Answer

To distinguish between 'that' as a pronoun and as a conjunction, look at what role 'that' plays in the sentence's structure:

1. When 'that' is a relative pronoun:
It introduces a relative clause and stands in for a noun (person, place, thing, or idea) being described. It can be replaced by 'which' or 'who' in some cases.
Example: "The laptop that you recommended works well." ('that' refers to 'the laptop' and introduces the clause 'you recommended')

2. When 'that' is a conjunction:
It introduces a noun (content) clause and does not replace any noun; rather, it connects clauses.
Example: "He believes that success takes time." ('that' introduces the clause 'success takes time', but doesn't stand for a noun)

Practice Tip: Underline 'that' in your writing and ask:

Does 'that' refer back to a specific noun or stand for it? (Relative pronoun)
Does 'that' simply connect a statement or thought? (Conjunction)

Try rephrasing your sentence. If you can swap 'that' with 'which' (for things) or delete it without losing meaning, it's probably a relative pronoun.

Jin Park · Answer

Let's compare how 'that' works in two sentence types, using a simple chart:

Sentence Role of 'that' Why? "This is the movie that won an award." Relative pronoun Refers back to 'the movie'; starts a clause that describes the noun "She explained that the exam was hard." Conjunction Does not stand for a noun; links the main clause to a statement

Guide: If 'that' can be replaced with 'which' or 'who,' it's likely a pronoun. If it can't, it's likely a conjunction.

Practice: Take a sentence from your essay. Substitute 'that' with 'which' or 'who.' Does the sentence still work? If yes, you're dealing with a relative pronoun. If not, it's a conjunction.

Nora Grammar · Answer

Understanding 'that' is easier if you run a quick test each time. Here's how:

Locate 'that' in your sentence
Ask: Does it introduce extra information about a noun? (If yes: pronoun)
Ask: Is it connecting a reporting or opinion verb to its content? (If yes: conjunction)

Example 1: "The theory that he proposed was new."
Here, 'that' introduces the clause 'he proposed,' which describes 'theory,' so it's a relative pronoun.

Example 2: "He admitted that he was wrong."
Here, 'that' connects 'admitted' to the entire clause 'he was wrong,' so it's a conjunction.

Practice: For each 'that' in your draft, try to identify what immediately precedes it. If it's a noun, you likely have a pronoun. If it's a verb (like 'said,' 'believed,' 'admitted'), it's probably a conjunction.

Question You Likely Still Have	Direct Answer	How To Apply It
What is the core rule for unsure pronoun conjunction writing?	When 'that' is a relative pronoun: It introduces a relative clause and stands in for a noun (person, place, thing, or idea) being described.	To distinguish between 'that' as a pronoun and as a conjunction, look at what role 'that' plays in the sentence's structure: 1.
How do I apply unsure pronoun conjunction writing in a sentence like mine?	If you can swap 'that' with 'which' (for things) or delete it without losing meaning, it's probably a relative pronoun.	Example: "He believes that success takes time." ('that' introduces the clause 'success takes time', but doesn't stand for a noun) Practice Tip: Underline 'that' in your writing and ask: Does 'that' refer back to a specific noun or stand for it?
What mistakes should I avoid with unsure pronoun conjunction writing?	When 'that' is a conjunction: It introduces a noun (content) clause and does not replace any noun; rather, it connects clauses.	(Relative pronoun) Does 'that' simply connect a statement or thought?

Unsure When 'That' Is a Pronoun or a Conjunction in My Writing

What to Know

3 Answers