grammar question?

Question

when can you use a comma before or after the word "that"
add punctuations if needed:

1) I want a position that i can work in that has deal with automotive.

Answer 1

You do not typically use commas before or after that. If it sounds like it has too many thats, you can leave one out - often they are understood to be there. Your sentence would then read:

I want a position I can work in that (deals with automotive issues). The last part of your sentence is grammatically incorrect; you need to rewrite it so that it makes sense.

The first person gave you a good answer, I would go with that one.

I apologize if I offended you, zen penguin, that was not my intention. I did not use rude language, either. But I stand by my answer - in certain constructions, it is grammatically correct to leave out the "that". It is not sloppy English; in some clauses, the word is understood and can be omitted. I certainly do not advocate deleting words where they are required, and did not intentionally advise him to do so. You have to know when you can do it and when you can't. We were taught in school that it was perfectly correct.

I would just say, "I would like to work in the automotive industry."


Here is the type of clause I was trying to explain:
Adjectival clauses
A familiar type is the relative clause, introduced by a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, that, which), as in these examples:

Here is the woman (whom) I married.
This is the book (which) I am reading.
The drink (that) I most like is orange-juice.
The relative pronouns are in brackets, as they may be omitted if understood.

In his original sentence, "that I can work in" is an adjectival relative clause describing the word position. Therefore, it is grammatically correct to omit the word 'that', as it is understood.

And yes, I'm sure I'm right on this. I have left you a link (that) you may consult.

Answer 2

The new generation of American kids isn't being taught grammar as a course. The school system expects the kids to pick it up themselves just by reading textbooks and listening in class. Can you tell it was a bad idea to take grammar lessons out of the classroom?

Answer 3

I would like to find a position working in the automotive field.

This sentence would work better and conveys your intentions.

Commas are rarely used with the word, 'that'.

Answer 4

I would reword it to say I would like to work in a position that deals with automotive. You shouldn't ever need to use a comma "that".

Answer 5

Jeanie's wrong, her sentence construction is sloppy. Much better to rewrite the sentence, but if you're applying for a position say so:

"I would like to apply for a position working in the automotive field."

That way you don't just want to find a position, you actually want to apply and be selected for that position.

Answer 6

You cannot simply "delete" the word that because you use too many of them. Sloppy spoken English does not translate into proper written English.

As others suggested, you should rewrite the sentence, not simply leave out words. And very rarely would you use a comma before "that", although you may often use one before "and that".