Information Flow

Reference

	Rule	Example
given → new	known topic first, new information last	Among the speakers is …
end-weight	it-extraposition / there + verb	It was a shock that …
end-focus	passive or cleft to put key item last	… won by Marie Curie
topic chaining	keep the same subject	It houses … it was extended …

~~A long-awaited and controversial report was released yesterday.~~ → Yesterday saw the release of a long-awaited and controversial report.
heavy subject → move it to the end
~~That she had won was surprising to everyone.~~ → It was surprising to everyone that she had won.
it-extraposition
~~The bridge opened in 1932. Engineers repaired it in 1990.~~ → The bridge opened in 1932 and was repaired in 1990.
keep the topic as subject
~~There is remaining one problem.~~ → There remains one problem.
there + verb

Circle the correct answer.

Which follows end-weight? (It is clear that the plan will not work. / That the plan will not work is clear. / Clear is that the plan will not work.)
Which keeps the topic (the castle) as subject? (The castle was built in 1200 and was restored in 1990. / The castle was built in 1200 and someone restored it in 1990. / In 1990 a team restored the castle, built in 1200.)
"Who wrote Hamlet?" — Which answer puts the new information last? (It was written by Shakespeare. / Shakespeare wrote it. / By Shakespeare it was written.)
Choose the natural option: (There remain several questions. / Several questions there remain. / Remain several questions.)
Which puts given information first? (Our hotel was lovely. Its owner was a former chef. / A former chef owned it. Our hotel was lovely. / A former chef, our hotel was lovely.)
Complete for end-weight: It surprised everyone _____ . (that the shy boy won the debate / the shy boy that won the debate / won the debate the shy boy)
Choose the clearer sequence: (The app was launched in May. It now has a million users. / The app was launched in May. A million users now use it. / In May the app launched. Now, a million users, they use it.)
Which uses a cleft for end-focus? (What surprised me was her calm. / Her calm surprised me. / Surprised me her calm.)

Complete the second sentence.

That he resigned surprised nobody. → surprised nobody that he resigned.
One problem remains. → There one problem.
Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa. (end-focus on Leonardo) → The Mona Lisa by Leonardo.
The film was released in 2019. Critics praised it. (keep the film as subject) → The film was released in 2019 and by critics.
To understand these results takes time. → takes time to understand these results.
A huge storm hit the coast yesterday. → Yesterday a huge storm hit the coast. (start with known time)

It is clear that the plan will not work. — it-extraposition puts the heavy clause last.
The castle was built in 1200 and was restored in 1990. — Topic chaining with the passive.
It was written by Shakespeare. — End-focus: the new information (Shakespeare) last.
There remain several questions. — there + verb delays the subject.
Our hotel was lovely. Its owner was a former chef. — Given (our hotel) first, new (former chef) last.
that the shy boy won the debate — it … that-clause at the end.
The app was launched in May. It now has a million users. — Same subject (the app) → clearer.
What surprised me was her calm. — Pseudo-cleft puts the focus (her calm) last.