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Qingqing Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
What clause is it in "It was...when..."?
It was 1969 when two Americans got to the moon by spaceship.
In the sentence above, what clause is it ? Some say "when" equals "in which", so it's an attributive clause. But what does "it" refer to? From my point of view, it's an adverbial clause, and "it" refers to "time". What about nominal clause? (When two Americans got to the moon by spaceship was 1969)
Thanks.
In the sentence above, what clause is it ? Some say "when" equals "in which", so it's an attributive clause. But what does "it" refer to? From my point of view, it's an adverbial clause, and "it" refers to "time". What about nominal clause? (When two Americans got to the moon by spaceship was 1969)
Thanks.
Top answer
In my view, it's an adverbial clause. The nominal clause would be The year when two Americans got to the moon was 1969.
- In my view, it's an adverbial clause.
- The nominal clause would be The year when two Americans got to the moon was 1969.
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4 Answers
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In my view, it's an adverbial clause.
The nominal clause would be
The year when two Americans got to the moon was 1969.
The nominal clause would be
The year when two Americans got to the moon was 1969.
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qingqingIt was 1969 when two Americans got to the moon by spaceship.I think it should be rephrased into:
It was in 1969 when two Americans got to the moon by spaceship.
(in either case the when-clause here functions as an adverbial clause for me).
1969 was the year/time when two Americans got to the moon on a sp
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lagatawqingqingIt was 1969 when two Americans got to the moon by spaceship.I think it should be rephrased into:It was in 1969 when two Americans got to the moon by spaceship.(in either case the when-clause here functions as an adverbial clause for me).1969 was the year/time when two Americans got to the moon on a spaceship.(relative
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On second thought, you're right! It shouldn't be rephrased as such.
Reversing the two cluases would yield
When two Americans got to the moon, it was in 1969.
(doesn't sound good)
Your version has a better result
When two Americans got to the moon, it was 1969.
The way I see it, the word 'IT' here (in your version...forget mine) is just a s
Reversing the two cluases would yield
When two Americans got to the moon, it was in 1969.
(doesn't sound good)
Your version has a better result
When two Americans got to the moon, it was 1969.
The way I see it, the word 'IT' here (in your version...forget mine) is just a s
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