Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Existential Clause

Definition: 

An existential clause is a clause, having a distinctive grammatical structure, which expresses the real or imagined existence of an entity.

Discussion: 

An existential clause often introduces an entity into a discourse.

Examples: 

(English)

The clause construction “there + verb [typically be] + noun phrase” forms an existential clause, as in:

  • There was a man.
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