Skip to main content
English Language & Usage

Return to Answer

added 4 characters in body
Source Link
Gustavson
Gustavson
  • 3.2k
  • 1
  • 11
  • 16

2.a. and 2.b. are equally natural. Instead, 3.a. sounds more natural than 3.b., and that is because "the name of this book" is a better candidate for subject than "Catcher"The Catcher in the Rye". Then, when we ask:

2.a. and 2.b. are equally natural. Instead, 3.a. sounds more natural than 3.b., and that is because "the name of this book" is a better candidate for subject than "Catcher in the Rye". Then, when we ask:

2.a. and 2.b. are equally natural. Instead, 3.a. sounds more natural than 3.b., and that is because "the name of this book" is a better candidate for subject than "The Catcher in the Rye". Then, when we ask:

added 2259 characters in body
Source Link
Gustavson
Gustavson
  • 3.2k
  • 1
  • 11
  • 16

3.a. The name of this book is CatcherThe Catcher in the Rye.

3.b. CatcherThe Catcher in the Rye is the name of this book.

  • It (The name of this book)'s CatcherThe Catcher in the Rye.

I’ve come up with some sort of rule to identify whether the wh-word asks for the subject or for the subject complement, which consists of checking the position the reply to "what”, “who” or “which” will occupy in the answer to the question. Perhaps, as Cascabel said, this belongs on ELL, but since the question has been posed on ELU and has not been migrated (at least, not for the time being), I’d appreciate your comments:

Q2: What is the most popular sport in America?

A2: Football is the most popular sport in America.

“what” may be considered to be in subject position, because it can be replaced with “football” in that front position in the answer. This accounts for the correctness of the short answer “Football is,” and also for the order of the words if the question is embedded:

Embedded Q2: He wants to know what is the most popular sport in America. (what: subject / is: verb / the most popular sport in America: subject complement)

Alternatively, we can consider that "what" (and "football") is in subject complement position:

Q2': What is the most popular sport in America?

A2': The most popular sport in America is football.

In this case, the embedded question will be different:

Embedded Q2': He wants to know what the most popular sport in America is. (what: subject complement / the most popular sport in America: subject complement / is: verb)

Let’s see what happens with the other question:

Q3: What is the name of this book?

A3: (It’s) The Catcher in the Rye.

In this case, “what” is in subject complement position, and that accounts for the awkwardness of the answer “The Catcher in the Rye is.” To further prove this point, we can check what happens when the question is embedded:

Embedded Q3: He wants to know what the name of this book is. (I don't think He wants to know what is the name of this book is a good reported question.) (Therefore: what: subject complement / the name of this book: subject / is: verb)

(I admit that other indirect questions would sound more natural, like “He wants to know the name/title of this book” or “He wants to know what this book is called” where, again, “this book” is subject and “what” asks for the subject complement.)

3.a. The name of this book is Catcher in the Rye.

3.b. Catcher in the Rye is the name of this book.

  • It (The name of this book)'s Catcher in the Rye.

3.a. The name of this book is The Catcher in the Rye.

3.b. The Catcher in the Rye is the name of this book.

  • It (The name of this book)'s The Catcher in the Rye.

I’ve come up with some sort of rule to identify whether the wh-word asks for the subject or for the subject complement, which consists of checking the position the reply to "what”, “who” or “which” will occupy in the answer to the question. Perhaps, as Cascabel said, this belongs on ELL, but since the question has been posed on ELU and has not been migrated (at least, not for the time being), I’d appreciate your comments:

Q2: What is the most popular sport in America?

A2: Football is the most popular sport in America.

“what” may be considered to be in subject position, because it can be replaced with “football” in that front position in the answer. This accounts for the correctness of the short answer “Football is,” and also for the order of the words if the question is embedded:

Embedded Q2: He wants to know what is the most popular sport in America. (what: subject / is: verb / the most popular sport in America: subject complement)

Alternatively, we can consider that "what" (and "football") is in subject complement position:

Q2': What is the most popular sport in America?

A2': The most popular sport in America is football.

In this case, the embedded question will be different:

Embedded Q2': He wants to know what the most popular sport in America is. (what: subject complement / the most popular sport in America: subject complement / is: verb)

Let’s see what happens with the other question:

Q3: What is the name of this book?

A3: (It’s) The Catcher in the Rye.

In this case, “what” is in subject complement position, and that accounts for the awkwardness of the answer “The Catcher in the Rye is.” To further prove this point, we can check what happens when the question is embedded:

Embedded Q3: He wants to know what the name of this book is. (I don't think He wants to know what is the name of this book is a good reported question.) (Therefore: what: subject complement / the name of this book: subject / is: verb)

(I admit that other indirect questions would sound more natural, like “He wants to know the name/title of this book” or “He wants to know what this book is called” where, again, “this book” is subject and “what” asks for the subject complement.)

Source Link
Gustavson
Gustavson
  • 3.2k
  • 1
  • 11
  • 16

I'm not a native speaker, but I will give you my view.

In copulative sentences, that is, in sentences where the main verb is "be", subject and subject complement (of a nominal nature) are usually interchangeable:

1.a. Mary is my best friend.

1.b. My best friend is Mary.

In your first sentence, the main verb is "go", so there is no doubt that "she" is the subject and there will be no problem placing it before the auxiliary in a short answer:

  • Who is going to the game tonight?
  • Mary (is).

Your second and third sentences are copulative and have "be" as the main verb. "what" and "who" may then ask for the subject or for the subject complement. If the information requested is the subject, then the subject + auxiliary answer will sound fine, but if the information requested is the subject complement, it will sound odd.

Of these two pairs of sentences, we can easily tell that the one that sounds natural is that which introduces new information by means of the subject complement:

2.a. Football is the most popular sport in America.

2.b. The most popular sport in America is football.

3.a. The name of this book is Catcher in the Rye.

3.b. Catcher in the Rye is the name of this book.

2.a. and 2.b. are equally natural. Instead, 3.a. sounds more natural than 3.b., and that is because "the name of this book" is a better candidate for subject than "Catcher in the Rye". Then, when we ask:

  • What is the name of this book?

"what" is asking for the subject complement. A more natural reply will then be:

  • It (The name of this book)'s Catcher in the Rye.