Beta-reading, I'd bitch at 'someone that'... but then I'm not a native speaker and we learned English grammar with a bit more rigidness than native speakers tend to show. But it feels wrong (not that I haven't done it before, it's a slip easily made).
I didn't want to influence responses, but it totally annoys me when people use "someone that" now. I've slipped myself once or twice, but I usually catch it on the re-read and correct it. Thanks for commenting -- I'm glad to know that "rigid" English grammar supports me. :-) Thanks!
People get who (He/she), and things (it) get that.
Right??? I just wanted to check with people before I come down like a ton of bricks on the fic I'm beta-ing right now, that is loaded with "he was someone that" and "the person that", etc. Thanks!
Erm. I'd have to see context. I beta by feel a lot of the time, to be honest. "The person that called earlier" sounds okay to me. But I think with names or "he" and "she" I'd be a lot more likely to want to change it to "who".
I know that it can depend on context. If someone is speaking casually, for example, it doesn't have to be grammatically correct. (That's why I love writing Curt Wilde in Velvet Goldmine fanfiction -- he's American!! :-D I don't have to worry about colours or trousers or any of that stuff.)
But I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't get hexed by saying that it should be "who" instead of "that". Thanks!
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She's someone who just doesn't understand.
It's something that she just doesn't understand.
I'm not the queen of grammar, but I think it depends on your antecedents. People get who (He/she), and things (it) get that.
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Right??? I just wanted to check with people before I come down like a ton of bricks on the fic I'm beta-ing right now, that is loaded with "he was someone that" and "the person that", etc. Thanks!
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But I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't get hexed by saying that it should be "who" instead of "that". Thanks!
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