that

The word 'that' often weakens prose by introducing unnecessary qualifiers and creating distance between the reader and the action. It can make your writing feel less confident and more cluttered. In many cases, deleting 'that' strengthens the sentence, allowing the narrative to flow more smoothly and with greater impact. Before: She said that she would come. After: She said she would come. Before: I knew that he was wrong. After: I knew he was wrong. Before: The fact that they were late annoyed him. After: Their lateness annoyed him. In each example, 'that' serves as a filler that can be removed without losing meaning. By cutting it, we create more direct and powerful sentences. 'That' can earn its place in specific contexts, particularly in dialogue or to clarify complex sentences. For instance, a character might say, 'I thought that you were going to help,' where 'that' helps convey hesitation or uncertainty in the character's voice. Additionally, in longer, more intricate sentences, 'that' can be useful for clarity or to maintain the flow of thought, provided it genuinely adds to the meaning. As you revise, ask yourself: If you remove 'that' and the sentence still conveys your intended meaning, it was unnecessary.