Questions tagged [extraposition]

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3 votes
1 answer
109 views

reversing extraposition

Let’s as­sume we have this sen­tence: It was the in­ven­tion of the hand-held cal­cu­la­tor that pro­vided the orig­i­nal tech­nol­ogy for the present gen­er­a­tion of small but pow­er­ful com­put­...
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0 votes
1 answer
68 views

changes we have felt it necessary to make [parse of "necessary to make"]

From a textbook: The analysis of content clauses presented in this chapter differs in significant ways from that found in traditional grammar: in this section, therefore, we explain some of the ...
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0 votes
2 answers
170 views

Can the gerund clause take a personal pronoun as its subject in “It’s no use (his?) crying over lost love”?

From a gram­mar book, I’ve have learned that a gerund clause can be op­tion­ally pre­ceded by a per­sonal pro­noun to show the log­i­cal sub­ject of the verb; that is, who­ever is do­ing the gerund’s ...
4 votes
1 answer
377 views

Grammaticality of "On which hand it is worn should not make the slightest difference"

We are essentially creatures of habit. If you have any question about this, just transfer your wristwatch to the other hand. Even though it should not make the slightest difference on which hand it is ...
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0 votes
0 answers
46 views

"that" in there is no question that

I was wondering what the role of "that" is in the widely used phrase, "There is no question that~". e.g. There is no question that she has a great voice. I guess "that" functions as a conjunction ...
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0 votes
1 answer
51 views

"I found it a strain having to concentrate for so long." Why does this sentence use 'having'?

I read below sentence. I found it a strain having to concentrate for so long. I guess this sentence means 'I got pressure that I can't give all my attention for long hours'. My question is why ...
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4 votes
2 answers
168 views

"I made it my prime objective settling the matter." - unacceptable extraposition

Just saw this sentence marked as unacceptable in Quirke's Comprehensive Grammar (18.35 Extraposition of a clausal object): *I made it my prime objective settling the matter The full bit: I don't ...
1 vote
1 answer
161 views

Does extraposition work in "I made happy my friend who..."?

Can we use extraposition rule in the situations like below? "I made my friend who came here last week happy" Can it be like this? "I made happy my friend who came here last week"
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2 votes
1 answer
145 views

"As becomes obvious" or "As it becomes obvious"?

An essay of mine has been corrected so that my original sentence: As it becomes obvious, going to the market has not been my favorite thing to do. becomes: As becomes obvious, going to the ...
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5 votes
2 answers
604 views

'Using a keyboard is better' v 'It's better to use a keyboard': and why IT with the infinitive?

I'm trying to make sense of the rule behind "to use" vs "using" in these specific cases Using a keyboard is better. To use a keyboard is better. It's better to use a keyboard. It's better ...
  • 153
2 votes
0 answers
1k views

"It's only a matter of time until..."

Is this construction an example of extraposition? It's only a matter of time until all hell breaks loose Normally extraposition involves infinitive phrases or that-clauses, but it seems like the ...
  • 1,720
2 votes
0 answers
2k views

Is this an extraposed subject?

It is even possible I somehow sensed those qualities which I have since discovered to be so significantly a part of her. Does the sentence above have an extraposed subject? If so, which of the ...
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3 votes
2 answers
216 views

"A rumor circulated [that the queen had eaten her own child]" Is this extraposition? [duplicate]

A rumor began circulating among the people that the queen was an ogress and had eaten her own child. The bold subordinate clause modifies "a rumor", but is this considered extraposition? Normally, ...
  • 1,720
6 votes
2 answers
482 views

Hemingway's sentence

Here is a sentence from The Old Man and the Sea: It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty and he always went down to help him carry either the coiled lines or ...
2 votes
2 answers
135 views

Clause in sentence

John found it surprising that Wayne played the tuba. That Wayne played the tuba is the clause, but what kind is it? I am completely stuck on this and can't figure it out.
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