Analysis

Question

HiIt's a big step (giving up your job and and moving halfway across the world).What's the form and function of the bracketed part?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Persian LearnerWhat's the form and function of the bracketed part?

gerund clause; postposed subject (replaced by dummy 'it')

It's a daily circus taking care of 12 kids.
It's a real problem being stranded on the road when your car breaks down.
It's a great feeling knowing you have all your work for the week completed.

CJ

BillJ · Answer

You'll also come across the term "extraposition" for this kind of construction. To add to what CJ said:

[1] Giving up your job and moving halfway across the world is a big step. (basic version)

[2] It's a big step giving up your job and and moving halfway across the world. (version with extraposition)

In the basic version [1] the underlined subordinate clause is in subject position, and the noun phrase "a big step" is predicative complement.

In the extraposed version [2], the subject position is filled by the dummy element "it" and the subordinate clause is located at the end of the sentence. The underlined extraposed subject is not a kind of subject; it's an element in extraposed position, outside the verb phrase that corresponds to the subject of the basic version.

Note that in the extraposed version, the subordinate clause is not part of the predicative complement. The PC is just "a big step", just as it is in the basic version.

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