No, “that” is not a preposition. It can function as different parts of speech, including a determiner, pronoun, conjunction, or adverb, depending on the context.
Uses of “That”:
- As a Determiner (modifying a noun)
- That restaurant has excellent service.
- I recommend that dish on the menu.
- As a Pronoun (replacing a noun)
- That is the best POS system for small restaurants.
- I didn’t expect that to happen.
- As a Conjunction (introducing a clause)
- He mentioned that the new software is easy to use.
- The manager said that the restaurant will open early.
- As an Adverb (modifying adjectives or adverbs, meaning “to such an extent”)
- The system isn’t that expensive.
- I didn’t think it would be that complicated.
Why “That” Is Not a Preposition
- Prepositions show relationships between words in a sentence (e.g., in, on, under, about).
- “That” does not perform this function; instead, it serves as a determiner, pronoun, conjunction, or adverb.
Thus, “that” is not a preposition.
