Основы теории английского языка. Листунова Е.И. - 116 стр.

       • Object Clauses Introduced by the Conjunction That
       As the object generally follows the verb, an antici patory it would
be superfluous; but there are a few verbs that require it before a clause
(to fake, to owe, will have, etc.). The difficulty of joining an object
clause to certain verbs may also be evaded by inserting this, that, the
fact, the circumstance, to which the clause is added in apposition.
Such object clauses are introduced by the conjunction that:
       I take it that he gives his consent (Jespersen). He owed it to his
first teacher that he had a good pronunciation. I am afraid that you
overlook the circumstance that you have been requested to do it
immediately.
       Prepositional Object Clauses. Sometimes the verb which governs
the subordinate clause requires a preposition. In former times preposi-
tions were freely used before the conjunction that: after that,before
that, till that, etc. (Compare with the present-day usage in Russian:
ïåðåä òåì, êàê; ïîñëå òîãî, êàê). But in the course of time that was
dropped and the prepositions after, before, etc. became conjunctions.
       In Modern English there are few prepositions used before the
conjunction that: except that, save that, but that:
       Then he listened... for what should follow. Knowing nothing
yet, but that they spoke of Meg (Dickens). He forgot every thing but
that he was near her (Galsworthy). She knew nothing except that
the people now shopped at Hanbridge (Bennett).
       In some cases the use of a clause after a preposition is rendered
possible by the insertion of if, this, that, the fact or the circumstance.
The fact and the circumstance are chiefly used in scientific prose:
       You may rely on it that I shall give you a full account (Dîóle).
Depend upon it that there is some mistake (Austen). I must reconcile
myself to the fact that my company will distress him for a long time
to come (Snow). At these words Hollins became suddenly alive to the
fact that some crisis was at hand (Fletcher).
       When the word fact or circumstance acquires more independent
meaning, the subordinate clause may be regarded as an appositive
attributive clause to the noun fact or circumstance (see «Appositive
Attributive Clauses»):
       He pointed to the fact that those plants are easily harmed by
frost, a fact entirely overlooked before.



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