Simple past verb forms are used quite often in subordinate clauses instead ot present perfect and pastperfect tenses, if the meaning is clear...

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Smutek to uczucie, jak gdyby się tonęło, jak gdyby grzebano cię w ziemi.

It's been a good time while it('s) lasted. I've usually liked the people
I('ve) worked with. For thirty years, he had done no more than he (had) needed to. He had probably
crashed because he had gone to sleep while he was driving. (More natural than... while he had been
driving.)
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580
Progressive forms are quite often replaced by simple forms in subordinate
clauses. Compare:
He's working. But at the same time as he works, he's exercising.
(OR ...at the same time as he's working...)
For tenses in indirect speech, see 481. For past tenses with present or future meanings, see 422.
557 than, as and that
1 than after comparatives
Than is used after comparative adjectives and adverbs (see 135). As and that are not used after
comparatives. My sister's taller than me. (NOT ... taller as me.) (NOT ... taller that me.) She's got longer
hair than I have. (NOT ... longer hair as/that I have.)
2 as...as
As is used in 'comparisons of equality' (as... as...; the same ...as...). Than and that are not used in this
way.
My hands areas cold as ice. (NOT ... as cold than/that ice.)
Your eyes are the same colour as mine. (NOT ... the same colour than/that mine.)
3 as- and ^/ion-clauses with missing subject or object
As and than can introduce clauses in which there is no subject or object pronoun (rather as if as and than
were relative pronouns). Clauses with no subject pronoun are mainly used in a formal style.
k Their marriage was as stormy as had been expected.
H (NOT ... as it had been expected.)
H Anne's going to join us, as was agreed last week.
(NOT ...as it i
reed last weak.)
He worries more than is good for him.
(NOT -Ho worries more than it/what is good for him.) Don't lose your passport, as I did lastyear.
(NOT ... as I did it lastyear.) They sent more than I had ordered.
(NOT ... more than I had ordered it.) She gets her meat from the same butcher as I go to.
(NOT .. .as I go to him.)
For subject and object pronouns after than, see 138.8.
For tfeaf-clauses, see 559.
For the pronunciation of than, as and that, see 588.
page 581
thankful and grateful
Grateful is the normal word used to talk about people's reactions to kindness, favours etc.
I'm very grateful for all your help. (NOT I'm very thankful...}
She wasn 't a bit grateful to me for repairing her car. Thankful is used especially to talk about people's
feelings of relief at having avoided a danger of some kind, or at having come through an unpleasant
experience.
I'm thankful that we got home before the storm started.
We feel very thankful that she didn 't marry him after all.
Well, I'm thankful that's over.
�9 that-clauses
1 that as a connector
That is a conjunction with little real meaning. It is simply a connector-it shows that a declarative clause
forms part of a larger sentence. Compare:
I understood. He was innocent, (two separate sentences) Iunderstood thathe was innocent. (The clause
he was innocenthas become the object of the verb in the larger sentence.)
2 that-clsoises in sentences
That-clauses can have various functions in sentences. A that-clause can be the subject.
That she should forget me so quickly was rather a shock. It can be the complement.
The main thing is that you're happy. Many verbs can have rto-clauses as objects.
We knew that the next day would be difficult.
I regretted that I was not going to be at the meeting. And many nouns and adjectives can be followed by
that-clauses as complements.
I admire your belief that you are always right.
The Minister is anxious that nothing should get into the papers.
3 the fact that...
It is unusual for that-clauses to stand alone as subjects. They are more often introduced by the expression
the fact.
The fact that she was foreign made it difficult for her to get a job.
(NOT That she was foreign made it difficult...)
The fact that Simon had not been home for three days didn't seem to worry anybody. (More natural than
That Simon had not been home for three days didn't...)
The fact also introduces that-clauses after prepositions (that-clauses canno follow prepositions directly).
The judge paid no attention to the fact that she had just lost her husband. (NOT ... paid no attention to that
she had just...)
He held her completely responsible for the fact that she took food without
paying for it. (NOT ... responsible for that she took..) In spite of the fact that she had three small children,
he sent her to prison
for six months. (NOT In spite of that she had...)
For cases when prepositions are dropped before rfiat-clauses, see 441.
4 preparatory it
In many cases, it is used as a 'preparatory' subject or object for a that-clause. For details, see 301-302.
It surprised me that he was still in bed.
(More natural than That he was still in bed surprised me.) She made it clear that she was not interested.
(NOT She made that she was not interested clear.)
For reasons why that-clause subjects and objects are often moved to the end of sentences, see 289.
5 (feat-clauses after verbs, nouns and adjectives
Not all verbs, nouns or adjectives can be followed by that-dauses. Compare:
- / hope that you'll have a wonderful time.
I want you to have a wonderful time. (NOT I want that you'll have...)
- I understood his wish that we should be there. I understood the importance of our being there. (NOT ...
the importance that we should be there.)
- It's essential that you visit the art museum.
It's worth your visiting the art museum. (NOT It's worth thatyou visit...)
For complementation in general, see 140.
For complementation of verbs, see 579. For nouns, see 377. For adjectives, see 12. For the structures
that are possible after particular verbs, nouns and adjectives, see a good dictionary.
6 verbs in that-clsaises
In some kinds of that-clause, should + infinitive or subjunctives are often used instead of ordinary verb
forms. For details, see 497,541. I insisted that she (should) see the doctor at once.
7 compound conjunctions
Some conjunctions are made up of two or more words, including that. Common examples: so that, in
order that, provided that, providing that, seeing that, given that, now that.
I got here early so that we could have a few minutes alone together. I'll come with you providing that Bill
doesn't mind. Now that the kids are at school, the house seems very quiet.
8 omission of (feat
That can be left out in some cases, especially in an informal style. For details, see 560.