Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

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539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Word order and focus | 779

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That they thought they could use the computers without permission

is hard to

believe.

(that-clause as subject enabling extra focus on the object of ‘believe’)

FRONTING 

473

Direct objects 

473a

A direct object may be fronted, that is, made the theme (or ‘thematised’) in a

declarative clause, especially in spoken language; this occurs most typically when

the speaker wishes to contrast things. Phonologically, the fronted object (bold in

the examples below) is typically stressed:

[speaker is talking about the early days of computers, and how he bought one

type after another and occasionally upgraded the power]