Existential Constructions and Their Properties
Existential Constructions
Existential constructions (ECs) are derived from simple sentences that contain an indefinite subject (Su) followed by existential Be and an adjunct of place or time (AMP). They are produced by moving the indefinite Su to a post-verb position and by inserting the expletive pronoun ‘there’ in the initial Su position. The resulting construction has two subjects: a grammatical subject and a real (logical) one.
[Some students] are [in the hall] > There are some students in the hall.
The verb that is frequently used in ECs is the lexical verb BE. However, intransitive verbs can also appear in such constructions: [A wall] ran [round the place] > There ran a wall round the place.
Classes of Intransitive Verbs in ECS:
- Existential verbs: be, happen, occur, exist, live
- Aspectual verbs: seem, appear
- Ingressive verbs: emerge, burst, arise
- Verbs of motion: run, come, arrive
- Positional verbs: stand, lie, hang
[A deer] has been killed by a hunter
There has been a deer killed by a hunter.
The verb BE can appear in ECs either as a lexical verb showing existence or as an auxiliary, indicating passive voice or progressive aspect.
Jane was a teacher > ECs cannot be derived from sentences with copulative predications, and also transitive verbs cannot be turned into ECs.
Properties of the Logical Subject
Indefinite Logical Subject
- Indefinite determiners: a, some, any, zero determiner
- Quantifiers (indefinite): many, much, several, few, little
- Numerically specified
- Negator: No
- Indefinite pronouns: some/any/every + body
Definite Logical Subject
The subject can take the determiner THE and it becomes indefinite. Generally speaking, ECs cannot be derived from sentences where the Su is definite. There are some exceptions:
- The determiner The can accompany the logical subject when it includes: SAME & Other
- The logical subject can take THE when it’s expressed by a noun phrase (NP) containing a noun followed by a clause:
There is [the possibility [that he had seen the thief]]
[the possibility of [his having seen the thief]]
- When the Subject-NP includes an adjective in the superlative degree:
The nicest girl is waiting for you
There is the nicest girl waiting for you
- The is used with the logical subject in enumerations given as an answer to ECs:
What else is there…?
There is the rubber, the pencil…
Properties of the Grammatical Subject in ECS
The grammatical subject expressed by There has most of the properties of an ordinary subject expressed by nouns.
Mary has read the poem > There has been a tree on the hill
Mary wrote the poem > There followed an argument
Mary was seen by…> There was a man killed in the accident
Has Mary read the poem? > Has there been a tree..?
Did Mary write the poem? > Did there follow…?
Was Mary seen…? > Was there a man killed..?
The pronoun There, functioning as a grammatical subject, behaves like the ordinary subject expressed by nouns. That is, in the affirmative sentence, the grammatical subject occupies the first position and in Yes/No questions, the second one. In Tag questions, it occurs in the final position, like the noun Mary.
The Pronoun There in Subordinate Clauses
It seemed [that Mary was tired]> That-clause > It seemed [that there was nobody in the hall]
Mary seemed [to be tired]> Infinitive clause > There seemed [to be nobody in the hall]
The grammatical subject there can be promoted to the subject position in the main clause, just like an ordinary subject.
Raising = a syntactic process that allows movement of the subject of the clausal complement into the subject position of the main clause. As a result of this movement, the finite that-clause is turned into an infinitive clause.
I read the article [about which Mary had so many comments] > I read the article [about which there had been so many comments] >> Relative clauses
For Mary having missed the train] bothers me > [For there to be so much time left] bothers me > Infinitive clause
[Mary having missed the train] we postponed our trip > [There being so much time left], we postponed…> Participial construction
Jane said [that Mary would be a doctor] and so [she was] > Jane said [that there would be a flood] and so [there was] >> Both subjects can appear in clauses coordinated by AND SO with ellipsis in the second clause.
Mary has never been to Paris > There has never been such an opposition > Neutral
Never has Mary been to Paris > Never has there been such… > Emphatic
Agreement
Mary is nice > There is [a student]
The grammatical subject There has most of the properties of ordinary subjects, except one: Agreement with the verb. In an EC, the relationship of agreement is established between the verb and the logical subject. The grammatical subject does not take part in the relationship of agreement.
Interrogation
John will tell the truth (tomorrow) > Declarative
- Will John tell the truth? > Yes/No question
- Won’t John tell the truth? > Negative Yes/No question
- John will/won’t tell the truth, won’t/will he? > Tag question
- [Will John tell the truth] or [will his sister go to the police department?] > Alternative Yes/No question
- I wonder [whether/if John will tell the truth] > Indirect Yes/No question
WH-Questions
A: John will tell the truth tomorrow
- What will John tell? > Wh-question
- Who will tell the truth? > Subject Wh-question
- What will John do?
- When will John tell the truth?
- John will tell what? > Echo-question
- I wonder [what John will tell]? > Indirect Wh-question