The There Transformation

1
The There Transformation

• Which is better?
• There are three main reasons for our failure to
  obtain the grant.
• Three main reasons exist for our failure to
  obtain the grant.

2

• Which is better?
• There are three large men standing outside your
  office, waiting for you.
• Three large men are standing outside your office,
  waiting for you.

3
The transformation

• 1. Move BE and any auxiliaries that precede it to
  the beginning of the sentence.
• 2. Insert There at the beginning of the
  sentence.

4

• A man has been waiting for you.
• has been a man waiting for you.
• There has been a man waiting for you.

5
Distinguishing expletive there from adverb of
place

• There is a dog in our yard.
• vs.
• There is that dog in our yard again.

Clue 1 existence vs. place Clue 2
indefinite vs. definite articles.