ENGLISH
REFERENCE

the fact that

fixed phr..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. you use this to introduce a piece of information or a situation that is true, especially when it is the subject of a sentence.

fixed phr.. a multi-word conjunction or complementizer used to introduce a noun clause, often allowing a clause to function as the subject or object of a preposition.


SIMPLE

The fact that it is raining doesn't bother me.

CONTEXTUAL

Despite the fact that she was tired, she finished all her homework before bed.

COMPLEX

The judge focused on the fact that the defendant had no prior criminal record when determining the final sentence.

Usage

often follows prepositions like 'despite', 'due to', or 'except' which cannot take a 'that' clause directly.

Teaching tip

teach this as a 'bridge' that allows a full sentence to act like a noun; it is particularly useful for avoiding grammatical errors after prepositions.

Pitfall

Despite that he was late, we started.Despite the fact that he was late, we started.the preposition 'despite' cannot be followed directly by a 'that' clause; it needs 'the fact' as a noun-like anchor.

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