# EN: the reason why / - / that / for which



## bull_orient

Bonjours à tous, 

j'ai beaucoup de mal à distinguer l'utilisation de "what" ou "that" dans certaines phrases, quelqu'un pourrait m'éclaicir sur ce point là.

Quelques exemples:

[…]

Cultural differences is one of the many reasons ______ products popular in one country do not sell well in other one .
a) in which   b)that      c)so that     d) whose

[…]

*Moderator note*:  see also several discussions from the English Only forum.


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## FRENFR

The reason you have a problem... is because you're French!

Not insulting, just grammatically, of course.

You learn in school that "ce que" = what.  So, you're all the same, 'what' is used for ce que and 'that' is used for que.  Get out of this trap!

[…]

Third is 'that', also, just like 'que' in French.  Although, when using the word "raisons" in French, you prefer to use 'pour laquelle/lesquelles'... just an exception, I suppose, but 'que' is possible too (c'est pour ça que...= this the reason that.....blabla)

[…]

Just avoid the trap of 'ce que' = what.  It is wrong.

[…]

Good luck.


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## Joy19

In case you were wondering, in each example that you gave I would use "that."

[…]


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## Nicomon

FRENFR said:


> Third is 'that', also, just like 'que' in French. Although, when using the word "raisons" in French, you prefer to use 'pour laquelle/lesquelles'... just an exception, I suppose, but 'que' is possible too (c'est pour ça que...= this the reason that.....blabla)
> Good luck.


 I have a question. While I would have used "that" for the other examples, it sort of puzzles me in this specific third one (additions in blue are mine, and I also wonder about difference*s is* one of) : 

_Cultural differences is one of the many reasons ______ products (that are) popular in one country do not sell well in *an*other one ._

I would have thought : _One of the many reasons *why *(_but it wasn't part of the choices_) _or _*for which*_ but then it would mean that the choices of answers given for #2 and #3 were inverted.

Would it be totally wrong to say _why_ (which would have been my first choice) or _for which_ instead of _that_?  I'm pretty sure that I've heard anglophones saying "_this/that is (the reason) why_", to mean « _C'est pourquoi/c'est pour ça que/c'est pour cette raison que_ ».


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## Joy19

Yes, Nicomon, in the example that you pointed out, "why" also works. "For which" seems a little stiff and slightly awkward.


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## Nicomon

Thanks  for the confirmation, Joy.  

I wasn't sure at all about "_for which_", as it is a litteral translation of "_pour laquelle_"...


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## Glasguensis

In many circumstances you can indeed use "for which" when in French you would use "pour laquelle", but I agree with Joy that in this particular sentence it sounds awkward. Actually I would say that "why" is a more natural word to use in this sentence than "that", but of course it wasn't one of the options.


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## Keith Bradford

Some people claim that you mustn't say "_the reason why_..." because _reason_ already implies _why_ so you're repeating tourself.

I disagree, and would instinctively use _*why /*_ [nothing]_* / that*_ in that order of preference.


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## Nicomon

Thank you Keith.

We both have the same order of preference.  As I said in my initial post,  "that" puzzles me in this specific sentence.


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## David dL

Keith Bradford said:


> Some people claim that you mustn't say "_the reason why_..." because _reason_ already implies _why_ so you're repeating tourself.



I was taught this. It is in fact redundant, but it is commonly found in conversation.

_Reason + why_ is completely fine in conversation, but I would avoid it in writing.


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## Momob

Bonjour à tous, j'ai une question par rapport un sujet de concours


 The reason _________I cancelled the appointment was misinterpreted by myboss.
a) for
 b) what
c) why 
d) because 

Je ne comprends pas le choix de la réponse c. D'après mes recherches précédentes on faisait suivre The reason par "for"

Quelle différence entre The reason why / the reason for 

Merci de vos réponses


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## Herbivore

On utiliserait "for" si on voulait lier un nom avec "the reason" :

The reason for his absence isn't clear.

Par contre, on utilise "why" si on veut lier une autre proposition avec "reason". Dans votre exemple "I cancelled the appointment" est une phrase complète toute seule, alors on doit utiliser quelque chose de 'plus fort' qu'une préposition pour le lier avec la phrase.

L'équivalent en français dans ce cas serait "pour laquelle".

La raison pour laquelle j'ai annulé le rendez-vous...


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## Momob

Merci de votre réponse :
je souhaiterai savoir si on pouvait résumer :
- the reason for + nom (traduisable par : la raison de )
- the reason why = for which ? (traduisable par : la raison pour laquelle)


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## Oddmania

Oui, c'est exactement ça.


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## Herbivore

Yep, that's right. You can use "for which" in English too, and it's correct, but sounds strange and few native speakers would use it as it's longer and no more clear.

If you're connecting something that has its own subject, you can also leave out the subordinating conjunction (e.g. that) or relative pronoun (e.g. who) altogether, though that's not obligatory. It's faster, though, so you'll see and hear it a lot.

Examples: 
The man I saw yesterday died. = The man that I saw yesterday died.

The reason he left isn't clear. = The reason why he left isn't clear.


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