There- referential and non referential / tag questions

Question

Hello!

Can you please tell me some basic rules about "there referential and non referential"? And can you also give me basic information about "tag questions", please?

Afterward, would it be possible to tell me if these sentences are grammtically correct?

There- referential:

1) Deep within his b reast there smothered an unquenchable desire.

Tag question:

2) There is the little boy who looks after the sheep. <---- How can I make that into a tag question properly? Should it be: There is the little boy who looks after the sheep, isn't he?

Thanks,

Teacher Scott in Busan

MalRey · Accepted Answer

It's been a while and no one else has answered so I'll give it a shot (keeping in mind that I make no claim to being a grammar expert).

Deep within his breast there smothered an unquenchable desire. It's grammatically correct and uses "there" correctly but it doesn't make any sense. How can an "unquenchable" desire be smothered?

There is the little boy who looks after the sheep. <---- How can I make that into a tag question properly? I don't think you can. To the best of my knowledge you would need something like this:

He is the little boy who looks after the sheep, isn't he?

CalifJim · Answer

TeacherScottinBusansome basic rules about "there referential and non referential"?

I'm not sure what rules you might be talking about. Try using the search box at the top right of the page. I'm sure someone has already written a lot about this.

TeacherScottinBusanDeep within his b reast there smothered an unquenchable desire.

If I understand what you mean by referential and non-referential, this one is non-referential. The referential form is an adverb of place. The non-referential form is a stand-in for the subject of a sentence and is used to assert the existence of something. [By the way, I think the writer meant 'smoldered', not 'smothered'.]

Referential there would be: He is standing there. (i.e., in that place)

TeacherScottinBusanThere is the little boy who looks after the sheep.

there appears to be referential here because the noun phrase that follows is definite. (Note the, not a.) Therefore, isn't he? is the tag, as you say. Nevertheless, it would be very strange to use a tag at all on a sentence like this, with its fronting of the adverb there. More likely, the normal word order would be used if you wanted a tag:

The little boy who looks after the sheep is there, isn't he?

CJ

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