[Grammar] She’s more mobile now that she has her own car.

[newkeenlearner]

Is this sentence correct? I can't figure why the writer used "that" here.

She’s more mobile now that she has her own car.

http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/mobile

 

[GoesStation]

Yes, it's correct. Now that is an idiom.

 

[jutfrank]

I wouldn't call now that an idiom.

now that is used to mean something like in the current situation in which.

The that part is not absolutely necessary. You can simply say now to get the same meaning.

 

[GoesStation]

The that part is not absolutely necessary. You can simply say now to get the same meaning.

We nearly always include that in the expression in American English.

 

[andrewg927]

If you leave out that, I would consider it 2 sentences with a period after now.

 

[newkeenlearner]

Thanks, GoesStation.
The link was so helpful and interesting.

Thanks all for you explanations.
Does this phrase equivalent to "because" ?

 

[Rover_KE]

If you leave out that, I would consider it 2 sentences with a period after now.

If you leave out that, I would consider it two sentences with a period after now.

`

 

[emsr2d2]

It works fine in BrE without "that".

Now I've got a bike, I can cycle to work.
I've got more chance of completing the marathon now I've started running every day.
Now we know why he did it, we can start to deal with the issue.

 

[Tdol]

And it works fine in BrE with that.

 

[teechar]

Think of "now that ..." as "considering/given/if we consider that now ...".

 

[newkeenlearner]

Think of "now that ..." as "considering/given/if we consider that now ...".

Do it refer to present situation or hypothetical one?

 

[GoesStation]

Does it refer to the present situation or a hypothetical one?

It refers to an actual, current situation.