Grammar analysis
May: we'll spend whatever it takes to be Brexit-ready.
I saw the above in Metro news paper today.
Is "whatever it..." a subordinating clause with "whatever" as a relative pronoun?
Why do we need "to be" here? Is there any clue here that suggests that "to be" is to follow?
Top answer
May: we'll spend whatever it takes] to be Brexit-ready . The bracketed element is not a clause but a noun phrase, though "whatever" is a pronoun. It is a special kind of construction called a 'fused' relative construction where "whatever" is functioning as a 'fused determiner-head.
- May: we'll spend whatever it takes] to be Brexit-ready .
- The bracketed element is not a clause but a noun phrase, though "whatever" is a pronoun.
- It is a special kind of construction called a 'fused' relative construction where "whatever" is functioning as a 'fused determiner-head.
- The meaning of the sentence is like that of the non-fused We'll spend that which it takes to be Brexit-ready.
- To be Brexit-ready is a purpose adjunct, but such adjuncts are not restricted to infinitival clauses.
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May: we'll spend whatever it takes] to be Brexit-ready.
The bracketed element is not a clause but a noun phrase, though "whatever" is a pronoun.
It is a special kind of construction called a 'fused' relative construction where "whatever" is functioning as a 'fused determiner-head. The meaning of the sentence is like that of the non-fused We'll spend that which it takes
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