# Is using "that" twice in a row "that that" poor grammar? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 4, 2022, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-that-twice-in-a-row-that-that-poor-grammar/958933 "2022-02-04T22:02:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-that-twice-in-a-row-that-that-poor-grammar/958933/41 "2022-02-11T21:26:49Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > I find that when two “thats” are used that way, I pronounce them slightly differently. (Including in my head as I read silently.) “that” is one of a number of common functional words in English that have “weak” and “strong” forms that are distinct in pronunciation. Others include “the” and “than”. In the weak form, all the vowels in the word are reduced to a central vowel or schwa. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-that-twice-in-a-row-that-that-poor-grammar/958933/42 "2022-03-09T19:07:04Z")
> **[Qua](https://xkcd.com/2591/)** > > Qua qua qua is the sine qua non of sine qua non qua sine qua non. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-that-twice-in-a-row-that-that-poor-grammar/958933/43 "2022-03-09T21:55:28Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > When it was released on DVD, there was also a small bonus featurette on the making of the documentary called How How How It’s Made is Made is Made Reminds me of “the La Brea Tar Pits”…which translated is “the The Tar Tar Pits.” ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-that-twice-in-a-row-that-that-poor-grammar/958933/44 "2022-03-09T21:59:12Z")
So this is the one specific thing I remember from tutoring for the ACT back in the day. I was told never to use double thats, or to start/end a sentence with that. Oh crap I just did it! ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-that-twice-in-a-row-that-that-poor-grammar/958933/45 "2022-03-09T21:59:30Z")
ninja’d twice! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-that-twice-in-a-row-that-that-poor-grammar/958933/46 "2022-03-09T23:26:49Z")
With Au Jus Sauce ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-that-twice-in-a-row-that-that-poor-grammar/958933/47 "2022-03-09T23:30:05Z")
Pretty amazing that we’ve gotten this far into this thread with only one oblique reference to ‘Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.’ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-that-twice-in-a-row-that-that-poor-grammar/958933.md?page=2)