Lecture 17: Existential sentence Aims 1. Structural properties of existential sentences 2. non-finite existential clauses Key words: existential sentence存在句, introductory( there)引导词, notional subject实意主语 1 The existential sentence is a special type of sentence structure that denotes the existence of something. The communicative function of an existential sentence is to elicit a new topic, which, as focus of information, is generally expressed by the notional subject" coming after the verb phraseLecture 17: Existential Sentence ◼ Aims: ◼ 1. Structural properties of existential sentences ◼ 2. non-finite existential clauses ◼ Key words: ◼ existential sentence 存在句, introductory (there) 引导词, notional subject 实意主语 ◼ ◼ The existential sentence is a special type of sentence structure that denotes the existence of something. The communicative function of an existential sentence is to elicit a new topic, which, as focus of information, is generally expressed by the “notional subject” coming after the verb phrase