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I often find myself starting a sentence with "Just because", as in "Just because I didn't respond to your invitation, that doesn't mean I don't want to attend."

But I never quite know how to finish it. Is it grammatical to finish it with "doesn't mean", "that doesn't mean", "it doesn't mean" etc.? The first few Google results tend to use one of those, but something about that usage always sounds slightly off to me (what is the "that" referring to?)

JW01
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    Yes. The just is optional; it's merely an emphasizer. (Just) because S doesn't mean NP is the idiom. S can be any tensed clause, and NP can be any noun phrase, including tensed that-clauses. – John Lawler May 21 '20 at 23:56
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    https://youtu.be/XFTnFhGuaBQ – Hot Licks May 21 '20 at 23:57
  • I don't understand. You did finish the sentence in the question. And it makes sense. Are you asking if the sentence in the question is grammatical? It is. – Jason Bassford May 22 '20 at 00:50
  • @JasonBassford I am. – JW01 May 22 '20 at 00:52
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    Just because you are used to using it all the time does not mean it is not correct English. You may try using the parts in reverse order for the sake of variety. "Please don't think that I don't want to attend. I just didn't respond to the invitation." – Elliot May 22 '20 at 04:29
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    I think your example sentence would sound more natural without the "that" or comma. – nnnnnn May 22 '20 at 05:31

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