"the fact" is called for idiomatically, not grammatically
Explanation: The phrase "due to" is to be followed by a noun or a noun phrase. The word string "that LOC filters high frequency signal components" is a noun phrase and can be used as a subject, an object, or in any other function where a noun is called for. However, the idiomatic expectation immediately after "due to" is to have an apposite noun, such as "the fact," which merely serves to signal that what follows is a long noun phrase composed of a full sentence preceded by the word "that." The precedent apposite noun makes for a much smoother flow. Notice also that, depending on the content of the sentence, different apposite nouns may be called for: the notion, the idea, the thought, the assumption, the presumption, etc. In most cases, the long noun phrase is taken to be a fact, so "the fact" works best. If you are editing, I would suggest you insert "the fact."
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Answer to Tony M's question: Thank you for your inquiry. "That," at lease in this construction, is not a noun by any means. The phrase composed that+a sentence is a noun: Examples: - He ate the Christmas pudding. (a full sentence) - I did not know that he ate the Christmas pudding. ("that he ate the Christmas pudding"" is a noun phrase). - LOC filters. (a full sentence) - I did not know that LOC filters. ("that LOC filters" is a noun phrase. You can also say, "I did not know the fact that LOC filters." In this case, the apposite noun "the fact" is not idiomatically required, but when the long phrase is preceded by "due to," the idiomatic expectation is just too strong to ignore, so strong that it is not unusual for people to think of it as a grammatical requirement. Without "the fact," the sentence simply sounds rickety, as it sounded to Nesrin).
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Yes, exactly. It is pretty straightforward, but it does not surprise me that the nature of the fault is perceived by some as grammatical, because the need for "the fact" is felt so very strongly. Incidentally, in your example, "That the earth is flat" is a noun phrase that functions as the subject of the sentence (not an object). It is like saying "The flatness is something I can't believe." The example I chose from your context, "LOC filters etc." confused some readers. I should have used another example, such as "that an active process is sensitive to your defined goals, etc."
| Fuad Yahya Native speaker of: Arabic, English PRO pts in category: 36
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