For Smoother Text De-That Your Web Copy

I like my web copy to be smooth. I want readers to glide across it like a talented ice skater.

So when I wrote my last tip — You Not We — before I published it, I used my trusty checklist to review my copy and make sure there weren’t any “bumps in the ice.”

Write copy that glides like this ice skater.

One of the items on my checklist is to “de-that” the copy. That involves simply doing a search for “that” and seeing if each “that” is necessary. Here is what I found.


The first “that” is totally unnecessary. But the second “that” is necessary. Here is how I rewrote it.

Performing this quick fix is a writing tip that pros use regularly. You can, too.

Easy Web Tip 304: For smoother text, check your copy for superfluous “thats.”

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