he interviewed that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he interviewed that" is not correct in standard written English.
It is unclear and lacks a direct object or context, making it unusable in its current form. Example: "He interviewed that candidate for the job."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Vice

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Lynn, 40, was one of those he interviewed that day.

Los Angeles Times

So successful is it at portraying the chilling humanity of the Iraqis he interviewed that his play, "Betrayed", has been playing to a full house every night.

The Economist

He framed the images and arrayed them with framed quotations — from critics or theorists or patrons of gay bars whom he interviewed — that assess the work or offer some reflection on race and sex.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"He interviewed three people that day," Robbins told the audience.

Vice

He said that he interviewed General Lee at 1 P.M. on June 15.

University of Chicago

In Singapore, he did interviews that were so boring that he fell asleep during his answers.

The Guardian

He sat for interviews that ran for hours.

The New York Times

Instead, he began giving interviews that made him a hero to conservationists.

The New York Times - Books

More recently, he earned attention for interviews that could have doubled as performance art.

The New York Times - Sports

He said then, as he did in subsequent interviews, that he knew he could never get his name back.

The New York Times

That is why he taped every interview that he gave.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "he interviewed that" as it is grammatically incorrect and unclear. Instead, use clearer alternatives such as "he interviewed the person" or "he conducted an interview with [name]".

Common error

A common mistake is omitting the direct object after "interviewed". Always specify who or what was interviewed to avoid ambiguity. For example, instead of "he interviewed that", say "he interviewed "he interviewed the candidate"".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he interviewed that" functions as a clause fragment because it lacks a clear direct object, creating grammatical incompleteness. According to Ludwig AI, this usage is considered incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Academia

20%

Vice

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he interviewed that" is grammatically incorrect due to the missing direct object. While some examples exist, Ludwig AI flags it as incorrect, and its use is not recommended in formal writing. To improve clarity, consider alternatives such as "he interviewed the candidate" or "he conducted an interview with [name]". Always ensure your sentences are complete and specific to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he interviewed the person

Adds a direct object to clarify who was interviewed.

he conducted the interview

Replaces "interviewed that" with a more formal verb.

he did an interview with

Uses a different verb construction to express the same action.

he carried out an interview with

Similar to "did an interview", but slightly more formal.

he spoke with

A more general phrase indicating a conversation.

he had a conversation with

More detailed phrasing for a general discussion.

he questioned

Focuses on the act of asking questions.

he examined

Implies a more thorough and investigative questioning.

he investigated

Emphasizes a formal inquiry or investigation.

he listened to

Focuses on the act of hearing someone's account.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the word "interviewed" in a sentence?

Always follow "interviewed" with a direct object specifying who was interviewed. For example, use "he interviewed the witness" instead of "he interviewed that".

What are some alternatives to "he interviewed that"?

Better alternatives include "he conducted an interview with [person]", "he interviewed [person]", or "he spoke with [person] about [topic]".

Why is the phrase "he interviewed that" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "he interviewed that" is incorrect because it lacks a clear direct object. "That" is a demonstrative pronoun and needs a noun to refer to, making the sentence incomplete and unclear. It would be better to say, "he interviewed the person".

Is it acceptable to use "he interviewed that" in informal conversation?

While it might be understood in very informal speech, it's best to avoid "he interviewed that" even in conversation. Using a clearer phrase will always improve understanding and avoid confusion. For example you can say "he interviewed him" or "he interviewed her".