Omitting that in Noun Clauses

1. From Formal to Natural

B1 example: She has finished her homework.
Reported speech with that: I know that she has finished her homework.
Spoken English often drops that: I know she has finished her homework.

2. When You Can Omit that

After common reporting verbs: think, believe, know, say, hope, guess, suppose.
When the clause order is clear and there’s no confusion.
Especially in spoken or informal contexts.

Examples

They said (that) the results were positive.
I believe (that) we can meet the deadline.
She hopes (that) you’ll join the meeting.

3. When You Should Keep that

To avoid ambiguity: He mentioned that, in 2019, profits fell.
After adjectives or nouns: I’m happy that you came.
With long or complex subjects: That we finished early shows that the plan worked.

Double that?

If a sentence already uses that for another purpose, keep the clause marker to stay clear: It’s true that the idea that he suggested worked.

4. Practice

Rewrite five sentences twice: once with that, once without.
Record yourself to check whether you naturally drop that when speaking.
Write two formal emails where you keep that for clarity.

Quick Review

Omitting that is common after reporting verbs when the meaning stays clear.
Keep that in formal writing, complex sentences, or when clarity needs it.