Many students struggle with proper comma placement in their academic writing. This is usually due to a lack of understanding of the specific rules and exceptions surrounding the usage of commas. To help clarify one specific instance, the use of commas before the word “that”, this article provides examples and outlines the exceptions to the rules along with a practice sheet.
When to place a comma before “that”
Generally, a comma before “that” should only be placed when it introduces a parenthetical phrase. No comma before “that” should be used if the word “that” functions as an adjective, pronoun, determiner, adverb, or conjunction. In the following text, we will cover the specifics of each case.
Comma
Parenthetical phrase
No comma
“That” as an adjective
“That” as a pronoun
“That” as a determiner
“That” as an adverb
“That” as a conjunction
Restrictive relative clause
Comma rules may vary depending on style guides, and complex sentences may have exceptions for placement. Consider readability without commas.
Comma before “that”
There is only one rule when a comma before “that” is used: introducing a parenthetical phrase.
Parenthetical phrase
A comma is typically placed before “that” when it introduces a parenthetical phrase. This is because a parenthetical phrase is non-restrictive, meaning it provides additional, non-essential information that can be removed from the sentence without changing the core meaning. The comma is used to set off this additional information. Here are three short examples.
Examples
- John, that man over there, is our new manager.
- I won’t make that mistake again, that is for sure.
- She doesn’t want to go to the party, that much is obvious.
No comma before “that”
When “that” functions as either an adjective, pronoun, determiner, adverb, or conjunction, you do not put a comma before “that”.
“That” as an adjective
“That” can function as a demonstrative adjective in English, where it is used to specify a particular object or person from a group or a type. When “that” is used in this way, it modifies a noun by pointing out which specific item or items are being referred to, especially to distinguish it from others. No comma is being placed in this case.
Examples
- I don’t need those shoes; I prefer that pair with the red laces.
- Can you see that bird on the windowsill with the bright blue feathers?
- That book I’m reading is fascinating.
“That” as a pronoun
You generally do not put a comma before “that” when it functions as a pronoun. When used as a pronoun, it replaces a noun previously mentioned or easily identified in the context. It can refer to a specific thing or situation mentioned before, and it helps to avoid repetition.
Examples
- I bought a car that has great mileage.
- The cake you made was delicious; can I have another slice of that?
- The weather was terrible yesterday, but that has changed today.
“That” as a determiner
“That” functions as a determiner when it is used to indicate a specific noun that is far from the speaker, in contrast to “this,” which indicates something close to the speaker. It specifies which particular noun one is referring to, and is often used with singular or uncountable nouns. You don’t place a comma before that when used in this grammatical context.
Examples
- Please hand me that.
- I doubt that idea is going to work for our project.
- Could you please pass me that glass of water?
“That” as an adverb
“That” can also function as an adverb, albeit less commonly, where it is used to modify the degree of an adjective or another adverb, often to emphasize the extent or degree of something. It’s usually used in comparative structures, and no comma is placed before “that”.
Examples
- He didn’t run that far.
- I didn’t expect the test to be that difficult, but I managed to pass.
- The movie wasn’t that interesting; I almost fell asleep halfway through.
“That” as a conjunction
“That” functions as a conjunction when it is used to connect two clauses, where the second clause is dependent on the first. It often introduces a clause that is the object of a verb or follows adjectives and nouns to provide additional information.
Examples
- She explained that the meeting was rescheduled.
- I think that you should take a break before you get too exhausted.
- The evidence suggests that the policy is not working as intended.
Restrictive relative clause
“That” is often used to introduce restrictive relative clauses, which are essential to the meaning of the sentence because they define or restrict the noun they are referring to. A restrictive relative clause cannot be removed without changing the fundamental meaning of the sentence. The word “that” as a relative pronoun is used to connect the clause to the noun or pronoun it modifies. You do not use a comma before “that”.
Examples
- The book that you lent me was fascinating; I couldn’t put it down.
- She chose the dress that was on sale.
- They won’t attend the meeting that is scheduled for tomorrow.
In each of these examples, “that” introduces additional information that narrows down the noun to a specific one that the speaker has in mind. Without the information introduced by “that”, the nouns “book”, “dress”, and “meeting” could be any book, dress, or meeting, respectively. The restrictive clause makes clear which one is being discussed.
Test yourself!
Practice sheet
Below, you’ll find practice sentences of when to place a comma before “that”. You can check whether your answers are correct in the second tab labelled “answers”.
- He said that he’d be there by 3:00.
- My favourite book that I read last summer is a classic.
- He wrote a poem that touched the hearts of many.
- The movie that we watched last night was amazing.
- They didn’t drive that fast on the highway.
- The car that I bought yesterday is brand new.
- Pass me that salt, please.
- She mentioned a great restaurant that we should try sometime.
- She gave me a gift that made me smile.
- The movie that we saw last night was quite entertaining.
- He said that he’d be there by 3:00. (No comma, conjunction)
- My favourite book, that I read last summer, is a classic. (Comma)
- He wrote a poem, that touched the hearts of many. (Comma)
- The movie that we watched last night was amazing. (No comma, adjective)
- They didn’t drive that fast on the highway. (No comma, adverb)
- The car, that I bought yesterday, is brand new. (Comma)
- Pass me that salt, please. (No comma, determiner)
- She mentioned a great restaurant, that we should try sometime. (Comma)
- She gave me a gift that made me smile. (No comma, pronoun)
- The movie, that we saw last night, was quite entertaining. (Comma)
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FAQs
Normally, you only ever put a comma before “that” when a parenthetical phrase is introduced. This means that the clause is redundant to the core meaning of the sentence.
No, a comma is not typically used after “that” in standard English grammar.
In English, a comma is typically placed before “that” in a sentence in specific situations. However, placing a comma directly after “that” is never the case.
A comma is not typically used before “so that” in a sentence. “So that” is a conjunction that is generally used to express purpose or result, and it is not usually preceded by a comma. However, there might be cases where a comma is used for clarity or to set off additional information, but it’s not a standard practice to use a comma before “so that”.
