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Meaning of syntactic expletive | Babel Free

Noun CEFR B2

Definitions

A pronoun that is used at the start of a sentence or clause when the referent is not immediately known, but an argument for the verb is syntactically required.

Examples

“In the sentences "It is a hammer that is needed." and "There are hammers in the toolbox.", both "it" and "there" are syntactic expletives.”

CEFR level

B2
Upper Intermediate
This word is part of the CEFR B2 vocabulary — upper intermediate level.
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See also

syntactic middle voice syntactic salt syntactic sugar Syntactical syntacticality Syntactically

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