ESL Forums >

michèle 2 · #1 (**permalink**) Jul 1st, 2008, 08:39 am

This morning during my adult one to one class we came across the following example in a conversation.
He's having his first lesson today. He's going to the driving school at lunch time. He's really excited about it.
My student asked if she could say " he's really excited about that"
It refers to "he's having his first lesson" Does "that" refers to the previous sentence I mean "he's going to the driving school"
Is there a "rule" for "it" and "that"
thanks for your help

susan53 · #2 (**permalink**) Jul 2nd, 2008, 08:00 am

That, is used to refer back to something which has previously been said in a conversation. It can be glossed as "what was just said" - eg :
A : Is your name Fred? B : That's right. ie What you just said is right. Here It is not possible. It would refer not to the utterance but to the thing - the name itself as in No, it's Bill. (ie, No my name is Bill)
But in your example the student could be saying either ....
1. He's really excited about going to the driving school (ie referring to the event, so ... about it) or .... 2. He's really excited about "what I just said" (so, ... about that).
Here then, both are possible, depending on how you interpret the student's meaning. When there is a choice and that is chosen, it tends to be more emphatic than just using it.

EngliPatrick · #3 (**permalink**) Jul 2nd, 2008, 08:49 am

Susan, can I have your brain?

mesmark · #4 (**permalink**) Jul 3rd, 2008, 07:41 am

Patrick, you should go get an MA in TESOL. (Not becuase you need it but because you seem really interested in grammar.)

michèle 2 · #5 (**permalink**) Jul 3rd, 2008, 08:06 am

Thanks Sue. It's very clear. Now I can make the difference between it and that.
I'm glad you're back to the forums.
thanks a lot

EngliPatrick · #6 (**permalink**) Jul 3rd, 2008, 08:56 am

Quote:

Quote mesmark

Patrick, you should go get an MA in TESOL. (Not becuase you need it but because you seem really interested in grammar.)

But, Susan's brain would be much faster and cheaper...

susan53 · #7 (**permalink**) Jul 4th, 2008, 04:27 am

Quote:

Quote EngliPatrick

Susan, can I have your brain?

Ho ho - I've only just caught up on this. But you might not want it Patrick. This is the brain that once put the dirty socks in the fridge and the butter in with the washing..... (any idea what half a pound of churned up, melted fat does to your washing machine?)