grammaticality - “The fact” vs. “The fact that”



Can you use the phrase ”the fact” without “that”?


Consider the two sentences:



  1. The fact that it’s Sunday means that I can sleep all day.

  2. The fact it’s Sunday means that I can sleep all day.


Clearly the first sentence is correct and in common use. The second doesn’t sound right to me, but I can’t find clear evidence to prove (to someone) that it is indeed wrong.


Apart from answering, I would really like a reference, or an English rule, showing that the second is correct/incorrect.



Answer



Collins Cobuild English Usage (p238) has this entry on the expression the fact that:



You can refer to a whole situation by using a clause beginning with the fact that.



  • The fact that quick results are unlikely is no excuse for delay.


Note that you must use that in clauses like these. You don't say, for example, 'The fact quick results are unlikely is no excuse for delay.'



Nevertheless, I suspect native speakers will commonly omit the that in informal spoken language - as I have in the preceding clause.


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