[ti:Academic Writing: Common Patterns, Part Two]
[al:Everyday Grammar]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2025-01-31]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]The Everyday Grammar team often receives questions about academic writing. 
[00:08.51]Students around the world want to improve their academic writing so that they can gain admission - and succeed - in a college or a university.
[00:20.74]In this week's report, we are going to explore one pattern that is commonly used in academic writing.
[00:29.28]You will learn to recognize this pattern, and you will learn how you can use it in your own writing.
[00:37.48]In addition, you will learn about the times you might not want to use it.
[00:44.41]The structure we are exploring is this: noun + a that clause.
[00:51.84]The structure is often used to evaluate, or judge, a topic or idea.
[01:00.56]A that-clause is a group of words beginning with the word that.
[01:06.26]A clause has both a subject and a predicate. 
[01:12.52]The predicate shows what is said about the subject.
[01:17.88]The noun might come at the beginning or middle of the sentence.
[01:23.81]Consider the following examples:
[01:27.64]"The fact that the theory of evolution has been so contentious in public debates deserves some explanation."
[01:36.44]"This essay is written in the belief that modern historians need to radically change the way they think."
[01:46.45]In the first example, the that-clause follows the noun fact at the beginning of the sentence.
[01:55.19]In the second example, the that-clause follows the noun belief at the middle of the sentence.
[02:04.10]In both cases, the noun plays an important part in showing how a writer evaluates an idea.
[02:14.25]In other words, the noun helps show how the writer is taking a position and making a claim about something.
[02:24.34]Let's study these sentences in greater detail.
[02:28.97]Think back to the first example sentence we gave you,
[02:33.73]"The fact that the theory of evolution has been so contentious in public debates deserves some explanation."
[02:42.91]Academic writers often use the noun + a that clause structure to express certainty.
[02:51.32]In the sentence, the noun fact plays an important role.
[02:56.98]When the writer uses the word fact, he or she is showing certainty.
[03:03.56]It shows that the writer does not consider the point to be a subject of debate.
[03:10.87]The that-clause contains the idea that the writer is certain about - the theory of evolution has been a contentious topic.
[03:21.83]Susan Conrad and Douglas Biber are grammar experts.
[03:26.88]They note that academic writers often use nouns or noun phrases such as conclusion, fact, little doubt, and no doubt to express certainty.
[03:41.28]The that-clause can have any number of words or ideas. 
[03:46.26]The important point is that it has a subject and a predicate.
[03:52.02]A second common use of noun + a that clause is to express possibility. 
[03:59.77]Consider our second example, "This essay is written in the belief that modern historians need to radically change the way they think."
[04:12.25]Here, the noun belief suggests possibility - it is possible for historians to change the way they think. 
[04:22.59]Whether this is correct or not depends on the reader's opinion - and the persuasiveness of the author's argument.
[04:34.43]Conrad and Biber note that other nouns commonly used to show possibility include claim and assumption. 
[04:46.40]Sometimes writers will use the noun possibility itself.
[04:51.56]The structures we have discussed today are common in academic writing. 
[04:58.03]If you are writing for other purposes, you might want to use more direct language.
[05:05.20]Take our example, "The fact that the theory of evolution has been so contentious in public debates deserves some explanation."
[05:15.65]You might read this in an academic publication. 
[05:20.13]This structure might not be the best choice for other situations - writing an opinion piece in the newspaper or an email to your supervisor, for example.
[05:33.49]In those cases, it might be better to use more direct language.
[05:39.83]For example, you could write, "Here are the reasons why the theory of evolution has been a contentious topic..." Or simply, "People have long debated the theory of evolution."
[05:54.02]Remember: you have many choices to make when you write a sentence. 
[05:59.81]Learning when to use certain structures can be a long, difficult process.
[06:05.87]But, we bring this lesson to a close with the belief that you will succeed!
[06:13.32]I'm John Russell.
[06:15.44]And I'm Alice Bryant.