Apologies if this topic has been covered already. I’m terribly frustrated by the word “that” in contexts like this:

She said (that) she was going to the store.

Is there a rule about when it should be used???

Thanks so much.

In most cases the word ‘that’ is optional; you can put it in or leave it out without affecting the meaning.  The shorter the sentence, the better it is to leave it out.  So I would say:

She said she was going to the store.

In longer sentences, it is usually clearer to put it in.  For example:

She told all her friends at the office that she was going to the store.

Sometimes you have to put it in to avoid ambiguity, e.g:

She said that at 3 o’clock she was going to the store.
or
She said at 3 o’clock that she was going to the store.

Thank you kindly! I really appreciate the response.

Hello adamoka.
Be welcome, contribute again.

“According to her, she was going to the store.”

1.  No unstylish repetition of singular “she” pronoun

2.  Discretionary use of phrase “according to + (object)” formula precludes the stifling precocious question of whether to use introductory particle “that”

3.  Such erudite language obviously better suited to written Eng. style or formal cross-examination anywhere.