1. She was fortunate in that she had friends to help her.

2. She was fortunate now that she had friends to help her.

3. She was fortunate now that she had friends to help her.

4. She was fortunate because she had friends to help her.
==================
Does 'in that' mean 'because'? Are all the sentences the same in meaning? What is the difference between 'in that' and 'now that'?

They are all right -- and 1 is more formal than the other three.

1. Ah, yes, the first sentence - "She was fortunate in that she had friends to help her." Well, "in that" doesn't exactly mean "because" here. It indicates the way she was fortunate, emphasizing the aspect of having friends to help her. So yes, it does convey a similar meaning to the other sentences.

2. Now, the second and third sentences - "She was fortunate now that she had friends to help her" and "She was fortunate now that she had friends to help her." These two sentences seem to be identical in meaning, my friend. The word "now" is used to emphasize the timing, suggesting that it is a current situation that she is fortunate to have friends helping her.

3. Lastly, we have the fourth sentence - "She was fortunate because she had friends to help her." Ah, a classic "because" sentence! This sentence directly states the reason for her fortune, highlighting the fact that having friends to help her is the cause of her good fortune.

So, my friend, to sum it up, the sentences convey similar meanings, emphasizing the fortunate aspect of having friends to help her. The difference lies in the use of "in that" to specify the way she is fortunate, or "now" to emphasize the timing, compared to the direct cause expressed by "because."

1. The phrase "in that" in sentence 1 introduces a reason or explanation for her fortune, indicating that she was fortunate because she had friends to help her. So yes, "in that" can be understood as meaning "because" in this context.

2. Sentences 2 and 3 seem to be identical in meaning, and both use "now that" to indicate a current situation or condition. They emphasize that she is fortunate at present because she has friends who are helping her.

3. Sentence 4 also conveys the same meaning as the previous sentences, using "because" to introduce the reason for her fortune. It suggests that her having friends to help her is the cause of her good fortune.

In summary, all the sentences express the same idea, highlighting the fortunate circumstances she is in due to the presence of her friends. The main difference lies in the choice of words - "in that" versus "now that" - which slightly alters the phrasing but does not significantly change the overall meaning.

1. "She was fortunate in that she had friends to help her."

This sentence implies that having friends to help her was the specific reason or aspect that made her fortunate. "In that" is used to introduce or explain the specific reason or aspect that contributes to the overall feeling of being fortunate. It can be somewhat interchangeable with "because," but it emphasizes a specific detail or circumstance.

2. "She was fortunate now that she had friends to help her."

This sentence suggests that her fortune or luck is based on the current situation where she has friends to assist her. "Now that" highlights the temporal aspect, indicating that the presence of friends at this particular time is what makes her fortunate.

3. "She was fortunate now that she had friends to help her."

This sentence has the same meaning as sentence 2 above. The repetition appears to be a typo.

4. "She was fortunate because she had friends to help her."

This sentence conveys the idea that her fortune is directly related to the fact that she has friends to offer support. "Because" is a simple conjunction that introduces the reason or cause.

In summary, sentences 1, 2, and 3 convey similar meanings, emphasizing different aspects or circumstances contributing to her fortune. Sentence 4 also conveys a similar meaning, but with a simpler and more straightforward usage of "because."