Marked word order
Use and recognise marked word order: preposed objects, postponed subjects, extraposition, existential there and end-weight for emphasis and flow.
In this lesson you will
- Apply end-weight and end-focus
- Use extraposition and existential there
- Recognise preposing and postponement for effect
Learn
End-weight: long, heavy elements go at the end: I found it* difficult to explain why the project failed* rather than To explain why the project failed I found difficult. End-focus: new, important information comes last.
Extraposition: move a clause subject to the end with it: That he resigned surprised no one → It* surprised no one that he resigned.* Also: It’s no use complaining. It’s worth noting that…
Existential there introduces new entities: *There remain several questions. There followed a long silence.* (Formal verbs: remain, exist, follow, arise, emerge.)
Preposing (fronting objects) and postponement (moving subjects late) create contrast or suspense: *That decision I will never understand. Sitting in the corner was a man I’d never seen.*
Examples
- It is widely believed that the manuscript was forged.
- There arose a question that nobody could answer.
- I consider it essential that we act quickly.
- Most of it I understood; the ending, I didn’t.
Vocabulary
end-weight
putting long elements at the end
extraposition
moving a clause to the end, with ‘it’ as subject
existential there
‘there’ introducing existence
preposing
moving an element before the subject
marked
unusual, used for effect
Practice
More natural (end-weight):
Speaking
Describe an old photograph using existential there (There stands…), preposing (That day I remember well) and extraposition (It’s strange that…).
Writing
Revise a paragraph (write it first, 100 words) to improve end-weight and end-focus, using extraposition and existential there where helpful.
Lesson quiz
End-focus places ___ information last.
Review
Key points
- End-weight and end-focus.
- Extraposition with it.
- Existential there + formal verbs.
- Preposing and postponement.
What you learned
- ✓ I manage information order.
- ✓ I use extraposition naturally.
- ✓ I recognise marked word order.
Grammar reference: Sentence structure and word order, There is / there are