I
Ikarashi
Guest
Hello.
I am studying English in Japan. I am now interested in the difference between "it is because" and "it is that."
A dictionary says that these two sentence forms have the same meaning in that both of them represent reason for the event described in the preceding sentence. For example:
1) I cannot pay you back today. It's just that (= it is because) all the banks are closed.
Is it true that "it is that" sentence can always be substituted for "it is because" sentence? Or is there any context where such substitution is not allowed?
For instance, I found the following sentence:
2) How, then, could one persuade those who doubt we have a right to control what happens to our bodies after we die? Obviously, it depends on why they doubt. If it is because they think nothing after death could affect people's interests, then I refer them to chapter 3.
In (2), it is because appears in the if-clause. In this situation, is it possible to substitute it is that for the it is because?
I am studying English in Japan. I am now interested in the difference between "it is because" and "it is that."
A dictionary says that these two sentence forms have the same meaning in that both of them represent reason for the event described in the preceding sentence. For example:
1) I cannot pay you back today. It's just that (= it is because) all the banks are closed.
Is it true that "it is that" sentence can always be substituted for "it is because" sentence? Or is there any context where such substitution is not allowed?
For instance, I found the following sentence:
2) How, then, could one persuade those who doubt we have a right to control what happens to our bodies after we die? Obviously, it depends on why they doubt. If it is because they think nothing after death could affect people's interests, then I refer them to chapter 3.
In (2), it is because appears in the if-clause. In this situation, is it possible to substitute it is that for the it is because?