belonging to vs that belong to

Both "belonging to" and "that belong to" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Belonging to" is used when describing possession or ownership, while "that belong to" is used when referring to a group of items or people that have a common characteristic.

Last updated: March 26, 2024 • 1080 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when describing possession or ownership.

"belonging to"

Use "belonging to" when indicating possession or ownership of something. It is often used to show a relationship between two entities.

Examples:

The book belonging to Sarah is on the table.
The house belonging to my parents is in the countryside.
The key belonging to the door was missing.
The car belonging to the company needs repairs.
The necklace belonging to the queen was stolen.

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The question was whether belonging to some organised religion is important in a person's life.
These reports were found in files belonging to Hector Stokes.
Persons belonging to minorities are particularly vulnerable.
Biped belonging to the mammalian species, possibly a planetary aberration.
The colour is composed of different pigments all belonging to the class betalaine.
Short description: It is Domos belonging to those complex architecture.
Opera recordings of his own singing, belonging to Fenton Capwell.
Exclusively for live animals other than animals belonging to the cervidae species.
Resources belonging to a publicly owned undertaking are State resources.
Member States belonging to different zones may apply the mutual recognition procedure on a voluntary basis.
Furthermore, insurance or reinsurance undertakings belonging to a financial conglomerate may not own a captive undertaking.
Birth certificates belonging to 650 people?
Stolen clothing belonging to a couple of teenagers.
Training centres belonging to a railway undertaking or an infrastructure manager
The Commission is aware of questions related to persons belonging to the Russian-speaking minority in Estonia.
Those provisions prevent the marketing of seed not belonging to a variety.
The United States has already unilaterally revoked domain names belonging to European businesses without right.
During the police raid, moreover, goods worth more than EUR 6 million belonging to 21 companies were seized.
In some items belonging to the defendant's late mother.
Investments belonging to category III are valued at cost less impairment.

Alternatives:

owned by
possessed by
property of
in the possession of
under the ownership of

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when referring to a group of items or people that share a common characteristic.

"that belong to"

Use "that belong to" when talking about a group of items or people that have a common characteristic or quality. It is often used to categorize or identify a specific set of things.

Examples:

The books that belong to the library are all new.
The cars that belong to the dealership are on sale.
The students that belong to the science club are very dedicated.
The toys that belong to the children are scattered around the room.
The paintings that belong to the artist are on display.

Show examples from the web [+]

I came here in search of possessions that belong to me.
Collection of network elements that belong to a single type of utility network.
Almost 90% of the enlarged EU is made up of agricultural land, which includes national parks with precious fauna and flora, and also historical remains that belong to Europe's cultural heritage.
It should therefore be our common endeavour to get back to objective reality on this issue and not have the process of enlargement laden down with issues that belong to the past.
The term "property" is potentially misleading, as it seems to suggest that rules only apply to waste that belong to the person discarding it.
These advances are therefore significant and do not undermine the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States or the commitments of the Member States that belong to NATO.
We must not uphold privileges and discrimination that allows these States still to be considered as intruders in seas that belong to us all.
Even so, this directive only says that discrimination in schools against groups of children that belong to a different race or ethnic group is prohibited.
These are all things that belong to another era and perform no function in today's EU.
In the last six months there have been 228 arrests and 250 unjustified trials, many of which were in countries that belong to the so-called group of western democracies; the latest case emerged only two days ago and involves Turkey.
Particular provisions should be laid down for training centres that belong to railway undertakings or infrastructure managers applying for safety certificates or safety authorisations.
It is not in developing countries, but in those countries that belong to the lost world and that are excluded from the global economy.
We believe that the European Union should really have to make more incisive budgets in terms of stimulating economic growth that will create employment, and for this purpose allocating resources that belong to all the EU countries is absolutely necessary.
In the case of input components that belong to the engine system, the OBD system shall at a minimum detect electrical circuit failures and, where feasible, rationality failures.
In the case of output components that belong to the engine system, the OBD system shall at a minimum detect electrical circuit failures, and, where feasible, if the proper functional response to computer commands does not occur.
The method used is applied consistently for all purchases and sales of financial assets that belong to the same category of financial assets defined in paragraph 9.
Mr President, the recent record rise in the euro/dollar exchange rate has caused concern in the minority of EU Member States that belong to Euroland, or in other words in the 12 of the 25 Member States which are in the euro zone.
One might therefore think it logical that there should be Community legislation to standardise the use of the European flag as a symbol, on aircraft that belong to the same (European) community.
'under-coverage' means the set of all statistical units that belong to a specified target population, but are not included in the corresponding census population;
We're both interested in things that belong to me.

Alternatives:

part of
associated with
members of
included in
affiliated with

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belonging to vs that belong to

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