anticipatory subject

anticipatory subject (foreløpig subjekt): a word - it or there - which occurs in subject position. It carries little or no independent meaning, and points forward to the notional subject which is placed later in the sentence for reasons of end weight or emphasis. If the anticipatory subject is there, the notional subject will be a noun phrase, usually indefinite (E.g. There are a couple of books in my shopping bag). If the anticipatory subject is it, the notional subject is a nominal clause (E.g. It was terrible to hear about your accident.) In most cases it is possible to dispense with the anticipatory subject and put the notional subject in front of the verb, e.g. A couple of books are in my shopping bag; To hear about your accident was terrible. See also anticipatory it and existential there.