The highlighting devices in English grammar : postponement use and meaning

Abstract EN

Postponement which involves the replacement of the postponed element by a substitute form is termed EXTRAPOSITION.

It operates almost exclusively on subordinate nominal clauses.

The most important type of extraposition is that of clausal subject – ie a subject realized by a finite or nonfinite clause.

The subject is moved to the end of the sentence, and the normal subject position is filled by the anticipatory pronoun it.

The resulting sentence thus contains two subjects, which we may identify as the POSTPONED SUBJECT (the one which is notionally the subject of the sentence) and the ANTICIPATORY SUBJECT (it).

A simple rule for deriving a sentence with subject extraposition from one of more orthodox ordering is: Subject + predicate ~ it + predicate + subject Thus: To hear him say that + surprised me ~ it +surprised me + to hear him say that But it is worth emphasizing that for clausal subjects.

The postponed position is more usual than the canonical position before the verb, examples are: Type SVC: It is a pleasure to teach her.

Type SVA: It was on the news that income tax is to be lowered.