[Nightedge]

Could I use 'that' this way?:


-The audience was doctorate students but I advised you to attend, especially that you would have to write articles in the future.

It sounds OK to me, but my friend says no, and he has got a point: the 'that' does not have anything that sanctions it, such as think, a verb that can be followed by a that-clause.

[susan53]

No, The relationship between the two propositions is consequence (I advised you to attend) and reason (you would have to write articles in the future) so you need a connective that indicates a reason - because / since / seeing that /given that /seeing as. Again context is important here - the choice will depend partially on the level of formality. Please always state it - it makes it much easier to answer.


Neutral to formal style :

1) The lecture was aimed at doctorate students. However, you were advised to attend as /since you would need to write academic papers in the future.

2) Given that you would need to write scientific papers in the future, you were advised to attend even though the lecture was in fact aimed at doctorate students.

Neutral to informal style :

3) The lecture was aimed at doctorate students of journalism, but I advised you to attend because I knew you would need to write press articles in the future.

4) Seeing that / Seeing as you'd need to write scientific papers in the future, I advised you to attend even though the lecture was really aimed at doctorate students.


If you wanted to include especially then this too would need to be justified by the context.

5) The lecture was aimed at doctorate students. However, you were advised to attend in order to improve your standard of writing in general and, especially / in particular, as /since you would need to write academic papers in the future.

[Nightedge]

Excellent answer. Thank you.