Savage Wipeouts at the Banzai Pipeline!

Although "there (there is, there are) should be used sparingly, if at all, as the first word(s) in a formal essay or story or news item," putting the word(s) in the front of a sentence brings such advantages as emphasizing the most important, even dramatic element in a sentence." Harper's English Grammar, John B. Opdycke

Pete Thomas, Outdoors editor of the Los Angeles Times, often writes about international surfing competitions. Recently, he described the dangerous surf at the Banzai Pipeline in the Hawaiian Islands, site of the next big event on the elite Pro Tour. Mr. Thomas is himself a pro at describing breaking surf and other aspects of the Great Outdoors.

The veteran Thomas wrote in a crisp and provocative style: "Most of the surfing universe has shifted to the North Shore, as it does at the advent of every winter (for the prize money)...but the real lure is the gargantuan waves...16 feet or higher.... Not listed is the number of savage wipeouts at the notorious Banzai Pipeline, but it's considerable...." He saved the key point for last while not even having to use the There is construction. That would have proven awkward. Try reading: "There is not listed the number of savage wipeouts..." Ugh!

Thomas also avoided writing: "Savage wipeouts occur at the Banzai Pipeline." Why? Because "Savage wipeouts" is a dramatic description of the event he reports on. Thomas is not breaking a headline.

However, later in his piece, Mr. Thomas might have used the prescriptive syntax avoiding there in a later sentence when he wrote: "There are 240 surfers from 16 nations competing for the Triple Crown title...." Better to write: "240 surfers from 16 nations will compete for the Triple Crown title...." Nothing dramatic surrounds the phrase 240 surfers. Should he have spelled out the numbers? Prescriptives exist for this question as well, yet we'll save them for another time.