End weight and extraposition

Place long or complex material later in the clause through extraposition and anticipatory it or there.

When do we use it?

Improve processing and emphasis while preserving agreement and logical subject relations.

Form

Use anticipatory it for clausal subjects and existential there to introduce new entities.

• It became clear that the data was incomplete.
• There appears to be a discrepancy.
• It was difficult to determine the cause.

Key contrast

At C2, grammar is a resource for controlling perspective, density, rhythm and register, not merely avoiding error.

Common mistakes

• That the data was incomplete became it clear. → It became clear that the data was incomplete.
• There appears a discrepancy to be. → There appears to be a discrepancy.

Remember

Place long or complex material later in the clause through extraposition and anticipatory it or there.

Quick check

• Identify the information focus and logical relationship.
• Check auxiliary order, reference and complement pattern.
• Choose the option that is idiomatic in the intended register.