Stupid grammar trick

[Nick]

Here's probably the nerdiest bar bet you'll ever hear. My history of English prof showed us this when we were discussing the transition from early modern to modern English. I thought it was pretty cool myself, but I like language.

Here goes:

Construct a sentence with the word "that" four times in a row that is grammatically correct. "I'd like that, that, that, that, and that" (listing form) does not count.














Ready?














"That that that that is the third 'that' in this sentance is a noun is obvioius."


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[UmAnOnion]

Nick===> <===me

[cessna152towser]

Tom, while John had had "had had", had had "had"; "had had" had had the teacher's approval.

[toadinakilt]

Tom, while John had had "had had", had had "had"; "had had" had had the tecaher's approval.

I can't get this one to make sense...I've tried saying allowed like 20 times.

[cessna152towser]

Fair enough, Toad, for it to make sense it probably needs to be put into context. Teacher drank coffee during his holiday. He then asked the class to write down whether it was grammatically correct to say he had coffee during his holiday or had had coffee during his holiday. Then he marked the results. Tom, while John had had "had had", had had "had"; "had had" had had the teacher's approval.

[UmAnOnion]

I can't get this one to make sense...I've tried saying allowed like 20 times.

exagerate the punctuation to the extreme and it kinda works... well it works better than that "that" one....ggggrrrr.....

[Nick]

I'll post the grammatical explaination later, Onion. I'm on my way out right now.

Cheers,
Nick

[UmAnOnion]

I'll post the grammatical explaination later, Onion. I'm on my way out right now.

Cheers,
Nick

No worries mate. Used to do a bit of theatre & voice over stuff so played with the inflection & timing of the sentance a bit & got what it meant. still wanna hit you with a pie tho!

Translation to Nicks 'trick':
"That that that that is the third 'that' in this sentance is a noun is obvioius." is
"The fact that the specific occurance of the word 'that' which falls as the 3rd 'that' in this sentance..."

My high school english teacher would be so proud.

[Sylvain]

"That that that that is the third 'that' in this sentance is a noun is obvioius."

I don't find it obvious. Is the 'the' in the following sentEnce a noun?
Put a the before this noun.

[starbkjrus]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!