EXTRAPOSITION

Formal conceptual representation Quirk et al.s grammar defines extraposition as being a postponement which involves the replacement of the postponed element by a substitute form (Quirk et al., !"#$ %! &. 'his construction can appear in three types of clauses$ sub(ect clause, )ing clause, and ob(ect clause. . *hen substituting the sub(ect of a sentence in an extraposition of a subject clause construction, it takes only the grammatical function of sub(ect in the sentence, also called anticipatory subject, while the logical sub(ect is placed at the end of the sentence as postponed subject. 'here are some sentences in extraposition with verbs like seem, appear, happen, etc. which cannot be turned in a nonextraposition version. +. ,s far as the extraposition of an -ing clause is concerned, grammarians claim that such a construction is not formal, due to the confusion brought upon the main focused information. %. -n the extraposition of an object clause, the ob(ect clause could be an )ing clause, a to-infinitive clause, or even that-clause (Quirk et al., !"#$ %! ) %!%&. ,ngela .owning and /hilip 0ocke (+112$ 3"& use the terminology found in Quirk et al. with slight differences, claiming that there are sentences constructed with anticipatory it re4uired by certain verbs, which do not have a corresponding pattern for the initial position. *hat grammarians seem to agree with, regarding the usage of this type of constructions, is that extraposition of clauses occurs especially when the sub(ect is very long, following the end)weight principle of focusing the main information. Commented examples E.g.: It seems to me, 5tamford, 6...7 that you have some reason for washing your hands of the matter. (,rthur 8onan .oyle, p. #& 9 *That you have some reason for washing your hands of the matter seems to me. : extraposition with certain verbs and of a that- sub(ect clause. Its not easy trying to control the thirst. (5tephanie ;eyer, p. %<& : extraposition of an ing sub(ect clause ,fter - heard your view - made it my business to see him.(,rthur 8onan .oyle, p. 22!& : extraposition of a to)infinitive ob(ect clause. Graphic representation

Bi lio!raph" =iber, .ouglas, 5usan 8onrad, and >eoffrey 0eech, ongman !tudent "rammar of !po#en and $ritten Eng%ish, 0ongman, ?arlow, +11+. .oyle, ,rthur 8onan, !her%oc# &o%mes. The 'omp%ete !tories, *ordsworth @dition,

0ondon, +112. .owning, ,ngela, and 0ocke, /hilip, Eng%ish "rammar. ( )niversity 'ourse. !econd Edition, Aoutledge 'aylor B Crancis >roup, 0ondon and Dew Eork, +112. ;eyer, 5tephenie, Twi%ight, ,tom, 0ondon, +11#. Quirk, Aandolph, 5idney >reenbaum, >eoffrey 0eech, and Fan 5vartvik, ( 'omprehensive "rammar of the Eng%ish anguage, 0ongman -nc., Dew Eork, !"#.
Ciprian Iovu English-Romanian Class of 2012