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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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he refers that

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he refers that" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression would typically be "he refers to" when indicating a reference to something. Example: "In his article, he refers to the latest research on climate change."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

He added: "We've seen it [harmful briefing] over this parliamentary recess, as I know to my cost from the totally false briefing (to which he refers) that I am considering running as a 'stalking horse' against Gordon Brown.

News & Media

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

When we first visited the patient, he referred that, prior to the stroke, he had been suffering over the last 40 years, of sudden impairment of vision, lasting for about 5 minutes, similar to a badly-tuned tv channel, with little spots moving in the entire visual field, with little if no disability.

He referred that the symptoms had started about 7 days before admission, but he denied a history of local trauma or recreational drug abuse.

We assume that zero means nothing, and so we have math; that "I" refers to oneself and that "he" refers to another, and so we have language.

News & Media

Huffington Post

He refers to that day in 1965 as "when I got killed".

News & Media

The New York Times

As for the community element, he refers to that as "the safety of the herd".

News & Media

TechCrunch

Indeed, it is discussed in detail by Darwin in the Origin, where he refers to that most puzzling of all adaptations, the eye.

Science

SEP

In his text he refers to that person as "Doctor Salazar".

News & Media

Vice

He may not call it that, but when he refers to "intelligence", that is what he will mean.

He referred in that article to a $25K per head posh camp that boasts a suspect 2 1 servant-to-camp member ratio.

News & Media

TechCrunch

It's from T.S. Eliot's "Choruses From 'The Rock'" — he refers to divinity that way.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "refers to" when indicating a reference. For example, "He refers to the study in his report."

Common error

Avoid using "refers that". The correct construction is "refers to". Using "refers that" will make your writing sound unnatural and grammatically incorrect.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

85%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he refers that" functions as an incorrect attempt to describe someone making a reference. Ludwig AI points out that standard English requires "he refers to" followed by the object of the reference.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he refers that" is grammatically incorrect in standard written English. Ludwig AI advises that the correct construction is "he refers to". While examples exist, their scarcity and the grammatical error suggest avoiding this phrase in favor of more accurate alternatives such as "he "mentions that"" or "he "refers to"". Using the correct phrase will ensure clear and professional communication.

FAQs

How do I correctly use "refer" in a sentence?

The correct construction is "refer to" followed by the object of the reference. For example, "He "refers to" the book in his lecture".

What can I say instead of "he refers that"?

You can use alternatives like "he "mentions that"", "he "states that"", or "he "indicates that"" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "he refers that" or "he refers to that"?

"He "refers to that"" is the correct and grammatically sound option. "He refers that" is not standard English.

When should I use "refer to" instead of "mention"?

"Refer to" is used when specifically directing attention to a source or piece of information. "Mention" is a more general term for bringing something up. For example, "He "referred to" the data in his analysis", versus "He "mentioned" the weather".

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Source & Trust

85%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: