Existential Sentences Lecture 28 Existential Sentences

Teaching Contents 28.1 Structural properties of existential sentences 28.2 Non-finite existential clauses

The existential sentence is a special type of sentence structure that denotes the existence of something. The communicative function of an existential sentence is to elicit a new topic, which as focus of information is generally expressed by the “notional”, subject “coming after the verb phrase. 28.1 Structural properties of existential sentences The general pattern of an existential sentence is: there + be + NP + locative /temporal adverbial

1) Introductory there There functions as formal subject not only in statements but also in questions, where the formal subject and operator are inverted. In informal style, introductory there often determines subject-verb concord in an existential sentence, that is, the form of the verb is not determined by the number of the following noun phrase but by the non-plural form of the introductory word. Introductory there is different from a fronted

adverb there in that it is unstressed and meaningless, while the initial adverb there is stressed and acts as an adverbial of place. 2) Notional subject a)The notional subject, which is actually the focus of information, is usually a noun phrase with indefinite specific reference. The determiners commonly occurring in this kind of noun phrase include the indefinite article, the zero article, and other indefinite determiners such assume, any, no, several, many, much,

more, (a) few, (a) little, less, another, a lot of, plenty of, a number of, enough, as well as the cardinal numerals. --There are many people still with too low a standard of living. --There are roses in the flowerbeds. b) The notional subject can also be realized by some-, any-, no- compounds, such as something, nothing, anyone, etc.

c) Just as the notional subject of existential sentence is commonly an indefinite noun phrase, so any statement with an indefinite noun phrase as subject and a verb phrase containing the verb “be” can generally be transformed into an existential sentence. --Plenty of people are getting promotion. --There are plenty of people getting promotion.

3) Predicator in existential sentence a) The predicator or predicate verb of an existential sentence is commonly a form of the verb be, finite or non-finite, simple or perfective. --There is a train due to arrive. --There were very few people left when we got there. --There have been many such incidents. b) The predicator may also be realized by “modal + be/have been” or “semi-auxiliary + be”. -There shall be no more wars. --There can be very little doubt about his guilt.

--There should have been someone on duty all the time. --There’s going to be a storm. --There is sure to be some rain tonight. --There is likely to be a large audience. c) Apart from the verb be, there are at least three classes of semantically-related verbs that can act as predicator in a existential sentence. First, verbs of existence and position, such as exist, live, stand, lie: --In the valley there lies a river. --In the cottage there lives a family of six.

Secondly, verbs of motion, such as come, go, walk. --There came a time when the people felt the need to settle down and live in peace. Thirdly, verbs of emergence or development, such as appear, rise, emerge, develop, happen, occur, etc. --There occurred at that moment a most remarkable incident.

1. There is some people. 现代英语的一种变化趋势：there is先已发展成为一个固定套话，既用于单数形式的主语，也用于复数形式的主语。现代英语语法学家都认为这是正确的用法。有的语法学家经调查发现，以英语为本族语的人，在讲话中，不管there be句型的主语是单数还是复数，使用there is的人占绝大多数。 e.g. There’s some people I like you to meet. There’s lots of cars on the road these days.

2. 1) Just ahead of us there was a huge fissure. 2) Just ahead of us was a huge fissure. 语法结构上，二者都正确，基本意义相同。但是，修辞上讲，1)句的there是绝对不可去掉的，因为状语+there be+主语与状语+be+主语又一个很重要的区别：前者常常具有“偶然性、突然性”(chanced to, happened to)的含义。1)的句意为：就在我们的前面突然出现了一个巨大的地缝。

3.充当定语的存在句型与存在句型中的定语从句 1) There is a man lives in China. 按照语法规则，在定语从句中充当主语的关系代词是不能省略的。但是，存在句型和强调句型中的定语从句却是个例外，尤其是在口语中。 e.g. There is a gentleman [ ] wants to see you. It’s Simon [ ] did it. 当主语是Here is时，情况也是如此。 e.g. Here’s a little book [ ] will tell you how to raise roses. 2)充当定语的存在句型其本身可以省略主语 e.g. The number of mistakes [ ] there are in this homework is simply astounding. This is the only article [ ] there is on the subject.

4.there is no doing：粗略的说，这种句型表示“不可能…，无法…，没有办法” e.g. There is no holding back the wheel of the history. There is no telling what will happen. 像No smoking. No parking.这样一些表示禁令的固定格式，便是这种句型的缩略形式。 但是，这种句型有时还作非情态解释。 There was no smoking in the corridors. 1) smoking was not allowed in the corridors. 2) no one smoked in the corridors. 有时候，甚至有三种解释。 There is no writing on the blackboard today. 1) we can’t write on the blackboard today. 2) we’re not going to write on the blackboard. 3) there’s nothing written on the blackboard.

28.2 Non-finite existential clauses A non-finite existential clause is one whose predicator is a non-finite verb phrase. There are two types of non-finite existential clauses. ① There to be/have been + NP +locative/temporal adverbial. ② There being +NP +locative/temporal adverbial. These forms can be used:

1) As prepositional complementation Both forms can be used as prepositional complementation. If the preposition is for, it usually takes the “there to be” form as complementation. With other prepositions, the complementation usually takes the “there being” form. --The secretary arranged for there to be another meeting. --He asked about there being another meeting.

2) As object This applies more often than not to the “there to be” form. There are only a limited number of verbs that can take a “there to be” form as object. These verbs include expect, mean, intend, want, like, prefer, hate, etc. --I want there to be no mistake about this. --I’d prefer there to be a little more co-operation.

3) As subject As subject, the “there being” form is commonly used. --There being a bus stop so near the house is a great advantage. When the “there to be” form is used as subject, it is usually introduced by for. --It was unusual for there to be so few people in the streets.(only used in formal style) 4) As adverbial --There having been no rain for a long time, the ground was burnt black by the sun.