Preparatory subject

In grammar, a preparatory subject or anticipatory subject[1][dead link‍][unreliable source?

][2][dead link‍] is a subject which represents a verb clause later in the sentence.

It as a preparatory subject is "commonly used in speech and writing, especially when the subject is longer than the complement and is better placed at the end of the sentence".

is equivalent to "It" in the first sentence is a preparatory subject, referring to the clause "to play the piano".

This syntax-related article is a stub.