"That" is a problem...

[ssylwia]

Dear Teachers,

I've found some examples about the grammar structure:
"Who is that in that picture?" and I do not understand why somebody put the first "that" in this place.

The next sentence "What is in that plastic bag on the floor?" is also correct but there's no "that"after the verb "to be".

I know that it is a small thing but I think about it all the time since I have seen this.

Thank you!
ssylwia

 

[Cunning Fox]

"Who is that in that picture?" is a perfectly correct sentence. "That" is a demonstrative pronoun. If you drop it, the meaning won't change drastically.

Not a native speaker nor a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd use "Who's in the picture?" if I wanted the other person to name all the people in it. However, the original suggests to me that the person is asking about one particular person in a group picture. They would probably be pointing at the person they wanted to identify. In that scenario, "in the picture" is unnecessary. I would point at a person and just say "Who's that?"

 

[Yankee]

Dear Teachers,

I've found some examples about the grammar structure:
"Who is that in that picture?" and I do not understand why somebody put the first "that" in this place.

The first "that" refers to a particular person in the picture. "Who is in that picture?" could inquire about all persons in the picture.

The next sentence "What is in that plastic bag on the floor?" Asks about anything/everything in the bag. is also correct but there's no "that"after the verb "to be".Asks about a particular object in the bag.

I know that it is a small thing but I think about it all the time since I have seen this.

Thank you!
ssylwia

Y.