[Grammar] Make clear

[Englishlanguage]

I have a question on the use of the expression to make clear.
I often see it being used in the form make clear + object, while sometimes it is used in the form make + object + clear.
What is the correct structure?

Thanks in advance

 

[yuriya]

I have a question on the use of the expression to make clear.
I often see it being used in the form make clear + object, while sometimes it is used in the form make + object + clear.
What is the correct structure?

Thanks in advance

Usually we say, "I want to make this clear." However, when we use a clause as an object we use so-called dummy it, which refers back to the object clause: I want to make it clear that I don't like this at all. As you have noticed, sometimes people seem to drop the dummy it but the omission of the dummy it is not very recommendable. Hope it helped.

 

[Englishlanguage]

Usually we say, "I want to make this clear." However, when we use a clause as an object we use so-called dummy it, which refers back to the object clause: I want to make it clear that I don't like this at all. As you have noticed, sometimes people seem to drop the dummy it but the omission of the dummy it is not very recommendable. Hope it helped.

Thanks for replying. This is not really my point.

I will provide some examples to explain what I mean.
In some cases you find sentences such as

It may be that others before Galileo had used similar analogies, or had otherwise attempted to make clear the role of language itself in dealing with the world of sense.

thus having a structure which can be described as make + clear + object.

In some other cases you find the structure make + object + clear such as in

Let me make my point clear
or
Another technique used by Levin that helps make his argument clear and well though out is the use of rhetorical strategies.

Are both structures acceptable? If so, when should you use which?

 

[Raymott]

Thanks for replying. This is not really my point.

I will provide some examples to explain what I mean.
That is always a good practice. It saves a lot of misunderstanding.

In some cases you find sentences such as

It may be that others before Galileo had used similar analogies, or had otherwise attempted to make clear the role of language itself in dealing with the world of sense.

thus having a structure which can be described as make + clear + object.

In some other cases you find the structure make + object + clear such as in

Let me make my point clear
or
Another technique used by Levin that helps make his argument clear and well though out is the use of rhetorical strategies.

Are both structures acceptable? If so, when should you use which?

They are both acceptable.
In the Galileo sentence, 'make' and 'clear' would be separated by a lot of words and hence be more difficult to understand if it read:
" ... to make the role of language itself in dealing with the world of sense clear."

This applies to a lot of separable phrasal verbs.
He picked the piece of paper up. = He picked up the piece of paper.
* He picked the piece of paper that was lying on the floor gathering dust up. NO.