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Moon7296 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
There is VS subject + is
The word there is often called nonreferencial, or existential, there. As shown in [1], there fills the subject position and does not refer to anything previously mentioned.
[1]. There is a unicorn in the garden. (= [2]. A unicorn is in the garden.)
Refernce : Ron Cowan, The Teacher's Grammar of English, 2008 Cambridge,
Question) Is there any difference between [1] and [2]? / Are they just the same?; can be used any context interchangeably?
[1]. There is a unicorn in the garden. (= [2]. A unicorn is in the garden.)
Refernce : Ron Cowan, The Teacher's Grammar of English, 2008 Cambridge,
Question) Is there any difference between [1] and [2]? / Are they just the same?; can be used any context interchangeably?
Top answer
They are the same in meaning and intent. The first is more natural because the purpose of the existential 'there' is to delay content to a more dominant position later in the utterance.
- They are the same in meaning and intent.
- The first is more natural because the purpose of the existential 'there' is to delay content to a more dominant position later in the utterance.
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1 Answers
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They are the same in meaning and intent. The first is more natural because the purpose of the existential 'there' is to delay content to a more dominant position later in the utterance.
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