conjunctive that

[perlmonger]

Amongst other things, I'm currently reading The Complete Plain Words. A lovely book, and recommended.

I read this:

Some verbs seem to need a conjunctive that after them more than others do. Say and think can generally do without. The more formal words like state and assert cannot.

whilst exercising my anal sphincter this morning. He's entirely correct of course, but it gave me to think: How the fuck does anyone actually learn English other than osmotically as a child?