they had had a great time

[keannu]

This is a question which says the underlined [FONT=&#48148]they had had a great time[/FONT] is wrong as it lacks "that" just before it. Does a clause have to have "that" to be an object of a verb like "told" as in the first clause?

6)On hearing the door open, I jumped out of my room. They were standing there, arm in arm, with big smiles. My plan worked perfectly. They told me that Angels's was a fantastic restaurant, and they had had a great time. My dad promised me that he would take me and my mom back to Angela's on my birthday next month.

 

[bhaisahab]

"They told me that Angela's was a fantastic restaurant, and they had had a great time." This is OK as it is.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I agree with bhai. You could also omit the first "that".

 

[keannu]

I also agree with you, but the question makes me think that 2 can have the nuance "they had had a great time" wasn't said by them but by the writer. What do you think?

1. They told me that Angela's was a fantastic restaurant, and that they had had a great time
2. They told me that Angela's was a fantastic restaurant, and they had had a great time