In English grammar, various expressions have somewhat different meaning then their exact dictionary meanings and they are to be used as such. The right usage of each and every part of grammar is very necessary for the right sentence formation.
Anticipatory words:
When a word is used as a grammatical subject in a sentence and anticipates the semantic subject of the same sentence, it is known as anticipatory word or subject.
Example:
It was nice meeting you.
In the above example, it is used as a grammatical subject but it is standing for or anticipating the semantic subject that is in the form of a clause meeting you. Thus it can be called anticipatory word.
The same sentence can also be rephrased as:
Meeting you was nice.
When a sentence is used that way it is known as an anticipatory or anticipatory sentence.
When a clause or a phrase is anticipated, it is typically in the form of an infinitive or a that clause.
Example:
It is nice to see you. (infinitive)
It is nice that you arrived on time. (that clause)
Anticipatory Object:
When a direct object anticipates or stands for or anticipates a clause that is following, it is known as an anticipatory object.
Example:
He took it wrong about the company policies.
In the above example, it stands for or anticipates the clause wrong about the company policies. This way it becomes the anticipatory object.
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