Information packaging: fronted objects and complements (That I doubt), end-weight, and existential there as a weight valve
I can package information with fronting and end-weight like an editor.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Some of his films I adore; the rest I can happily live without.
Some of his films I adore; the rest I can happily live without.
There remains one question that nobody at the inquiry dared to ask.
There remains one question that nobody at the inquiry dared to ask.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Two forces shape mature English sentences:
| Force | Example |
|---|---|
| fronting (contrast/echo) | That I doubt. Some battles you win, some you lose. Stunning it was not. |
| end-weight (heavy last) | She gave to charity everything she had inherited from her aunt. — object moved right because it is long |
| there as valve | There entered a man nobody recognized. (heavy subject pushed right) |
Fronting without the inversion of negatives — the subject stays before the verb: That I doubt (not *That doubt I).
Apply this grammar in C2 course exercises
Practice ExercisesV2 inversion after fronted objects
Fronted object keeps S before V: That I doubt
Some of his films I adore; the rest I can happily live without.
Some of his films I adore; the rest I can happily live without.
Parallel fronted objects for contrast.
There remains one question that nobody at the inquiry dared to ask.
There remains one question that nobody at the inquiry dared to ask.
there + heavy subject pushed to the right.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in C2 course exercises