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avid_learner
Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 14
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 Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:41 am Post subject: difficulty in SVOC + to infinitive |
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i find it difficult to speak english.
collins cobuild says it here is a pronoun replacing to speak english. i thought the structure of this sentence is svoc and to speak english is just an adverb. But, if i consider to speak english as a noun represented by it. I am now confused. What is to speak english in this sentence?
PS can you recommend a book i could buy that gives a detailed and reliable explanation on sentence structure, eight parts of speech, verbals, clauses and phrases?
That would really be helpful to me |
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Mary W. Ng
Joined: 26 Jun 2006
Posts: 261
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| Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:48 am Post subject: Re: difficulty in SVOC + to infinitive |
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| Quote: |
i find it difficult to speak english.
What is to speak english in this sentence? |
The sentence you quoted is an extraposed sentence. Extraposition is the movement of an element to the end of a sentence, and in its place is inserted the anticipatory it, pointing forward to the extraposed element.
In the quoted sentence, the anticipatory object it points forward to the extraposed object: the infinitive phrase to speak English.
_________________
Mary W. Ng
Helping students learn grammar
http:www.aimpublishing.com |
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