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Fuchsia Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Preposition + Nonn Phrase as Subject


Inside our guts is a diverse ecosystem of bacteria: the microbiome.
Could you tell me whether a subject of "Preposition(inside) + Noun Phrase(our gut)" is a common phrase structure? Thanks in advance.

The sentence is quoted from http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/emulsifiers-in-food-linked-to-obesity-in-mice/
  

Top answer

A prepositional phrase is a modifier, so it will act only as an adverb or adjective, and not as a noun suitable for the subject of a sentence. Try, A diverse ecosystem of bacteria, the microbiome, is inside our guts. Does that help?

— Deadrat

  • A prepositional phrase is a modifier, so it will act only as an adverb or adjective, and not as a noun suitable for the subject of a sentence.
  • Try, A diverse ecosystem of bacteria, the microbiome, is inside our guts.
  • Does that help?
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8 Answers
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A prepositional phrase is a modifier, so it will act only as an adverb or adjective, and not as a noun suitable for the subject of a sentence. Try,

A diverse ecosystem of bacteria, the microbiome, is inside our guts.

Does that help?
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Oh, now I get it! That's the similar sentence structure with "There is...", correct?
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Are there any differences of nuance or meaning between "Inside our guts is a diverse ecosystem of bacteria the microbiome." and "A diverse ecosystem of bacteria, the microbiome, is inside our guts."?
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No, it's just a matter of style. The original version starts with the mundane (nothing but waste inside our guts, right?), moves to something quite remarkable (an entire ecosystem), and ends the fact that this thing is a topic of study so important that biologists have coined a new term for it. That final (relatively high point) is going to be the topic of discussion of the rest of the article.
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fuchsia Inside our guts is a diverse ecosystem of bacteria: the microbiome. Could you tell me whether a subject of "Preposition(inside) + Noun Phrase(our gut)" is a common phrase structure? Thanks in advance.The sentence is quoted from
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It's not the subject, but an adverbial phrase.
The subject is "ecosystem."

Inversion is rather common: eg.
There goes the neighborhood.
Rarely have I had such a strong feeling.
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AlpheccaStarsIt's not the subject, but an adverbial phrase. The subject is "ecosystem."Inversion is rather common: eg.There goes the neighborhood.Rarely have I had such a strong feeling.
It can't be an adverbial. Adverbials are always optional, but "inside the gut" is obligatory, hence a complement.

In the OP's example, the subject in full is: "
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