grammar

[elsamanthra]

That that that man used is incorrect

[waflob]

This isn't a question ...

[5jj]

elsamanthra,
1. Please give your thread a helpful title, for example, "Is 'that that that' correct?'.
2, Please actually ask a question - don't make us guess what you want to know.
3. Please use quotation marks or italics to help us -

Is "that that that man used" incorrect?

4. It will also help if you give rather more context.

[emsr2d2]

I'm sure this is no help at all (especially as we don't actually know what the question is) but:

"I know that that that that that man used is incorrect" is a perfectly grammatical sentence.

Yes, that's five "that"s in a row!

[waflob]

I'm sure this is no help at all (especially as we don't actually know what the question is) but:

"I know that that that that that man used is incorrect" is a perfectly grammatical sentence.

Yes, that's five "that"s in a row!

My brain hurts. I can't make sense of all 5 - please explain.

(and while we're at it, that old chestnut, namely a syntactically correct, meaningful sentence with 5 'and's in a row?)

[Barb_D]

I know that = I am aware of the fact that

that "that" = the paricular use of the word "that"

that = which (although I don't use "which" for restrictive - only for non-restrictive)

that man = the paricular man being referred to

used is incorrect.

[emsr2d2]

I know that = I am aware of the fact that

that "that" = the paricular use of the word "that"

that = which (although I don't use "which" for restrictive - only for non-restrictive)

that man = the paricular man being referred to

used is incorrect.

Well done Barb!

OK - the 5 "and"s in a row. Ready?

A man called Smith owns a shop but he co-owns it with his son. His company is called "Smith and Son". He decides that he wants a new sign made for his shop so he orders a sign which he wants to read simply "Smith and Son".

When the new sign arrives, he doesn't like it because it looks like it says "SmithandSon". The spacing is wrong.

He calls the signmaker to explain. He says:

"The spacing is wrong. This is the problem - the spaces between "Smith" and "and" and "and" and Son need to be bigger."

Everybody understand?!

[5jj]

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt:

Grammatical puzzle - punctuation