Who among us has not said in conversation something along the lines of, “He told me how he liked her”? In conversation, pretty much everyone know that this means, “He told me that he liked her.” The difficulty is that in writing “how” means only “the way in which”; if you mean, “the fact that,” the word you want is “that.”
This is a small but important aspect to pay attention to, because if you use “how” instead of that, not only are you making a mistake, but you are also writing the way you speak casually, and that’s not a good idea. So let’s have a look at an example:
He told me how he liked her.
How means “the way in which” (or “the manner in which,” which I prefer because it’s fancy). Do you mean he told you that he liked her raw? That he liked her when she dressed in a ball gown? If you mean that sort of thing, you should use “how.” If you
don’t mean “the way in which,” use “that.”
HOW means THE WAY IN WHICH.
THAT means THE FACT THAT.
Virginia Woolf often likens unpleasant characters to rabbits. This shows how Woolf dislikes rabbits.
Does this “how” mean “the manner in which”? Let’s try substituting:
Virginia Woolf often likens unpleasant characters to rabbits. This shows the way in which Woolf dislikes rabbits.
No, it turns out it doesn’t mean “the way in which.” As a result, you know you want “that.”
Virginia Woolf often likens unpleasant characters to rabbits. This shows the fact that Woolf dislikes rabbits.
Virginia Woolf often likens unpleasant characters to rabbits. This shows the fact that (AH!) Woolf dislikes rabbits.
Now, let’s take another example.
John Smith describes how Virginia Woolf writes about Septimus Smith: “her language is rough and jagged, like his mental state” (15).
Does the writer mean, “the way in which,” or “the fact that”? Let’s check:
John Smith describes the way in which Virginia Woolf writes about Septimus Smith: “her language is rough and jagged, like his mental state” (15).
In this case, you do mean “the way in which.” So “how” stays!
John Smith describes how (AH!) Virginia Woolf writes about Septimus Smith: “her language is rough and jagged, like his mental state” (15).
If you mean “the way in which,” you want “how.” If you mean “the fact that,” you want “that.” It’s really how simple (see what I did there?).
Check to see if you mean “the way in which” or “the fact that.” Rewrite the sentence, substituting those phrases, if you need to. Adjust accordingly.
People frequently use “how,” but people almost always want “that.”
That being said, sometimes you do really mean “the way in which,” and you really do want “how.” Just check to be sure, and it’s fine.