| Acknowledgements | 第1-7页 |
| Abstract | 第7-10页 |
| 摘要 | 第10-12页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第12-16页 |
| ·Rationale of the study | 第12-14页 |
| ·Objectives of the study | 第14-15页 |
| ·Organization of the thesis | 第15-16页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第16-34页 |
| ·Previous Studies on English Existential Clauses | 第16-25页 |
| ·Traditional Grammatical Approach | 第16-19页 |
| ·Cognitive Linguistic Approach | 第19-20页 |
| ·Systemic Functional Approach | 第20-25页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Locative Expressions in English Existential Clauses | 第25-32页 |
| ·Lexicogrammatical Realizations of Locative Expressions | 第26-28页 |
| ·Grammaticalization of 'There-be' | 第28-31页 |
| ·Systemic Functional Analysis of Locative Expressions | 第31-32页 |
| ·Summary | 第32-34页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework | 第34-50页 |
| ·Transitivity System in Systemic Functional Grammar | 第34-39页 |
| ·Main Processes in Transitivity System | 第35-36页 |
| ·Participants and Circumstances | 第36-37页 |
| ·Locative Expressions as Realization of Circumstances in English Existential Clauses | 第37-39页 |
| ·Obligatoriness of Locative Expressions in English Existential Clauses | 第39-43页 |
| ·Grammatical Metaphor | 第43-48页 |
| ·The Multi-levels of Language | 第43-44页 |
| ·Congruent and Incongruent Realizations | 第44-46页 |
| ·Classification of Grammatical Metaphors | 第46-48页 |
| ·Summary | 第48-50页 |
| Chapter Four Locative Expressions in English Existential Clauses:A Grammatical Metaphorical Analysis | 第50-68页 |
| ·Grammatical Metaphor in English Existential Clauses | 第50-60页 |
| ·English Existential Clauses as the Congruent Form of Existential Process | 第53-54页 |
| ·English Existential Clauses as the Incongruent Form of other Processes | 第54-60页 |
| ·A Grammatical Metaphorical Approach to Locative Expressions in English Existential Clauses | 第60-64页 |
| ·Locative Expressions as Circumstances in English Existential Clauses as the Congruent Form of Existential Processes | 第61-63页 |
| ·Locative Expressions as Minor Participant in English Existential Clause as the Incongruent Form of Other Processes | 第63-64页 |
| ·A Tentative New Typology of Existential Clause Based on the Function of LE | 第64-66页 |
| ·Summary | 第66-68页 |
| Chapter Five Conclusion | 第68-74页 |
| ·Major Findings of the Study | 第68-73页 |
| ·Significance of the Study | 第73页 |
| ·Limitations and Prospects for Further Research | 第73-74页 |
| References | 第74-77页 |
