dummy subject en · NOUN
Meanings
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In English, a word (such as it or there) used as the subject of a sentence when the real subject is placed after the main verb, or when the subject is indefinite.
In the expression "It's raining", the word "it" is a dummy subject.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| dummy subjects | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
preparatory subject · introductory subject
Translations (1)
nl loos onderwerp (grammatical subject carrying no meaning of its own)