And Rosta wrote:
> Joe:
>
>>
>> I don't think so, because BE doesn't participate in this:
>>
>> --* Was Noam who did it.
>> --* Is incredible the things that can happen to you on the subway.
>
>
> I agree about the first, but then I'd anyway have thought that
> it-clefts are a different construction.
>
> As for the second, that too could be seen just as right dislocation.
> So we need to try an example more indubitably analogous to the
> seems/sounds ones:
>
> Well, was pretty obvious Chelsea would trounce West Brom.
>
> That seems fairly okay to me.
I'm less sure.
> And one can looks to other verbs:
>
> Well, just so happens I have a spare battery with me.
Nice one!
> My bet is you'd not be able to come up with a clear list of
> verbs (that allow _it_ with 'extraposed' clause) that do and
> don't allow the _it_ to be missing.
I agree.
Joe
|