English Syntax

THE SUBJECT

The Subject
Quirk ( 1978:348) defines the subject as
follows:

It is a noun phrase or a clause with nominal

function
it occurs before the verb phrase in
declarative clauses, and immediately after
the operator in question clauses
has number and person concord, where
applicable with the verb phrase

The Subject
The subject is a central constituent within
the sentence, therefore governing different
grammatical choices (agreement between
itself and the verb and governs the person,
number, case, and gender, where relevant).
The subject is usually positioned before
the verb in the declarative sentence, after
the auxiliary in the interrogative sentence,
and absent but implied in the
imperative sentence.

The Subject
The subject may be expressed by:

a noun /noun phrase

e.g. Her mother is a teacher.
a pronoun
e.g. He went on a trip.
This is my house.
Someone stole my bag.

The Subject

a substantivized adjective
e.g. The rich arent always happy.
a numeral
e.g. Five arrived.
a non-finite verb-form
e.g. Seeing is believing.
To see is to believe.

The Subject
NOTE: The subject expressed by one, you,
he, they, and people etc. is called generic
subject, because it doesnt refer to one
specific person, but it denotes a person in
general or an indefinite group of persons.
e.g. One should always be loyal to his/her
friends.
You cant have your cake and eat it.
People drink a lot of tea in England

The Subject
The Subject expressed by IT

personal IT ( referring to objects, animals)

e.g. Where is the cat?
It is under the table.
impersonal IT (or empty IT) - referring to weather,
distance, time
e.g. It is cold.
It is very far.
It is five oclock.

The Subject

emphatic IT ( emphatic IT appears in

the following construction :
IT + TO BE +
SUBJECT/OBJECT/ADVERBIAL+
WHO/WHICH/THAT + CLAUSE)
e.g. It was John who did it.
It was there that I met him

The Subject

IT in impersonal constructions
e.g. It is known that he is the best in
the class.
It is believed that he was robbed.

The Subject

Preparatory/introductory IT ( It is called
preparatory or introductory IT because it
introduces the logical subject of the sentence. IT
appears in the following structure :
IT ( formal subject) + VERB + SUBJECT
COMPLEMENT + LOGICAL SUBJECT)
e.g. It is important to be there on time.
IT = formal subject
IS = verb
IMPORTANT = subject complement
TO BE = logical subject ( To be there on time is
important

The Subject
THERE as formal subject
When the logical subject is indefinite ( a flower, a car
etc) we use the following construction:
THERE + VERB + LOGICAL SUBJECT
e.g. There is a car in front of his house.
There are some envelopes on the table.
In the sentences with THERE as formal subject, the
most often encountered verb is TO BE. However,
THERE may be also followed by modals or by the
verbs : to remain, to seem, to appear etc.
e.g. There must be some mistake.
There seems to be a problem.