Extraposition and existential clauses

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Anonymous  #535055  Tue, 01 Jul 08 11:06 AM
Hi!

I'm doing an exercise on extraposition and existential clauses just now and would like to know if my answers are correct.

The task is as follows:

a) For each underlined clause, give an extraposed counterpart if one is available, or if none is available, explain briefly why.
  •  Why you put up with it is incomprehensible. - It is incomprehensible why you put up with it.
  • The fact that they are married should make no difference. - no extraposed counterpart, because "It should make no difference the fact that they are married" is inadmissable - I just can't explain the grammatical reason why it is inadmissable
  • I appreciate that you returned it sincerely. - I appreciate it sincerely that you returned it.
  • It feels good to be back in my home town - For me, this sentence is already extraposed, so I don't know what to do here...
b) Give an existential counterpart of the following clause if available. If none is available, explain briefly why: His wife was very rich.
    Here, there's no counterpart available, I just cannot explain why....

c) Give a non-existential counterpart of the following clause if available. If none is available, explain briefly why: There's nothing to worry about - no counterpart because "Nothing is to worry about" is inadmissable...again I cannot state the grammatical reason.

As you see I've problems explaining the rules. Can anyone help me please?
  
26TMNTJG2PG  #536176  Thu, 03 Jul 08 08:47 AM
It is interesting to see how your marker react. Here are my suggested answers:-

a) For each underlined clause, give an extraposed counterpart if one is available, or if none is available, explain briefly why.
  •  Why you put up with it is incomprehensible. - It is incomprehensible why you put up with it.
  • The fact that they are married should make no difference. - no extraposed counterpart, because "It should make no difference the fact that they are married" is inadmissable - I just can't explain the grammatical reason why it is inadmissable (No dummy subject is used in the sentence.)
  • I appreciate that you returned it sincerely. - I appreciate it sincerely that you returned it.
  • It feels good to be back in my home town - For me, this sentence is already extraposed, so I don't know what to do here...
b) Give an existential counterpart of the following clause if available. If none is available, explain briefly why: His wife was very rich.
    Here, there's no counterpart available, I just cannot explain why....Counterpart: There was his very rich wife.

c) Give a non-existential counterpart of the following clause if available. If none is available, explain briefly why: There's nothing to worry about - no counterpart because "Nothing is to worry about" is inadmissable...again I cannot state the grammatical reason. Counterpart: Don't worry about anything.
  
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