{"id":72349,"date":"2019-09-22T10:11:41","date_gmt":"2019-09-22T10:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/?p=72349"},"modified":"2019-09-22T10:11:41","modified_gmt":"2019-09-22T10:11:41","slug":"it-as-a-preparatory-subject-english-grammar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/it-as-a-preparatory-subject-english-grammar\/","title":{"rendered":"It As A Preparatory Subject | English Grammar"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
When the subject is an infinitive expression, the sentence often begins with it<\/b>. Preparatory it<\/b> <\/i>is common before be + adjective\/ noun <\/b>complement.<\/p>\n
    \n
  • It<\/b> is difficult to accept <\/b>your advice. (More natural than To accept your advice is difficult.)<\/li>\n
  • It<\/b> is easy to learn <\/b>English.<\/li>\n
  • It<\/b> is not easy to understand<\/b> his motive.<\/li>\n
  • It <\/b>must be tempting to get <\/b>such an offer.<\/li>\n
  • It <\/b>could be dangerous to drive<\/b> so fast.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Clause subjects<\/h3>\n

    We also normally use preparatory it <\/b><\/i>when the subject of a clause is itself another clause.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • It<\/b> is true that <\/b>he was once a terrorist. (More natural than That he was once a terrorist is true.)<\/li>\n
    • It<\/b> does not matter whether<\/b> it rains or not. (More natural than Whether it rains or not doesn\u2019t matter.)<\/li>\n
    • It<\/b> is certain that <\/b>he left the place in haste.<\/li>\n
    • It<\/b> is clear that <\/b>he overheard our conversation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      -ing form subjects<\/h3>\n

      When the subject is a phrase that includes a gerund, it<\/b> is used as a provisional subject to begin the sentence. This is usually rather informal.<\/p>\n

        \n
      • It<\/b> is no good your trying <\/b>to deceive us. (More natural than Your trying to deceive us is no good.)<\/li>\n
      • It <\/b>is no fun having <\/b>so many children to look after.<\/li>\n
      • It<\/b> is just silly throwing away your chances like that.<\/li>\n
      • It<\/b> was a tough job starting <\/b>the car with such a weak battery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        It is often possible to use the structure for + infinitive<\/b> instead of the gerund.<\/b><\/p>\n

          \n
        • It <\/b>won\u2019t be any good for me to talk <\/b>to him about it. (=It won\u2019t be any good my talking to him about it.)<\/li>\n
        • It<\/b> is no use for us to try <\/b>to convince him of this.(=It is no use our trying to convince him of this.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          With seem, appear and look<\/h3>\n

          Introductory it<\/b> is also used with seem, appear<\/b> and look<\/b> when the subject is an infinitive phrase, a phrase that includes a gerund or a clause.<\/p>\n

            \n
          • It seemed <\/b>strange to see him there.<\/li>\n
          • It seems<\/b> that he forgot to buy the tickets.<\/li>\n
          • It appeared <\/b>unwise to offend him.<\/li>\n
          • It looks <\/b>improper to behave like that.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            With if, as if and as though<\/h3>\n

            It<\/b> is used to introduce some clauses with if, as if<\/b> and as though.<\/b><\/p>\n

              \n
            • It <\/b>will be a pity if <\/b>we have to ask her to leave.<\/li>\n
            • It<\/b> looks as though <\/b>we may have to go.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              It as a preparatory object<\/h3>\n

              We can sometimes use it<\/b> as a preparatory object. This happens when the object of a verb is an infinitive expression or a clause with an adjective or a noun complement.<\/p>\n

              Note the word order: subject + verb + it + complement + infinitive\/clause<\/i><\/p>\n

                \n
              • He made it clear what he wanted. <\/b><\/li>\n
              • We think it odd that she never visits <\/b>us these days.<\/li>\n
              • Don\u2019t you think it dangerous to swim <\/b>in these rough waters?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Note that this structure is not normally used when there is no adjective or noun complement after the verb.<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • I remember that she was very upset. (NOT I remember it that —)<\/li>\n
                • I cannot bear to see people crying. (NOT I cannot bear it to see —-)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  But note the structure I love\/like\/hate it when —<\/i><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • I love it when she smiles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Its and it\u2019s<\/h3>\n

                    Its<\/b> is a possessive word like his and my.<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • Every country has its <\/b>traditions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      It\u2019s <\/b>is the contracted form of it is<\/b> or it has<\/b>.<\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • It\u2019s<\/b> raining again. (NOT Its raining —)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                        When the subject is an infinitive expression, the sentence often begins with it. Preparatory it is common before be + adjective\/ noun complement. It is difficult to accept your advice. (More natural than To...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[251],"tags":[1565,1563,1564],"class_list":["post-72349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-grammar","tag-it","tag-it-as-a-preparatory-subject","tag-it-as-a-subject"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72349"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":72350,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72349\/revisions\/72350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}