Grammar

The use of “it”

Talk about the following pictures, using

It is no use/good doing sth 做……没有用 / 不好It is fun doing sth 做……很有趣

还想跑？甭想！

想追我 ?没门！

① It is never too old to learn. 活到老 , 学到老。

② It is easier to fall than to rise. 摔倒容易爬起来难。

③ It is no use crying over spilt ( 溢出的 ) milk. 覆水难收。

④ It never rains but it pours( 泼水 ). 不鸣则已 , 一鸣惊人。

Proverbs( 谚语 ) with “It”

⑤ It is easy to open a shop but har

d to keep it always open.

创业容易守业难。 ⑥ It takes three generations ( 代 ) t

o make a gentleman.

十年树木 , 百年树人。

Read and analyze the sentences.

It is Friday today.

It was very cold last Monday.

It is about 8:30 now.

It is about 25km from Longxian to Bazi.

It lies in the south of Shaoguan city.

It is 40°C ! You got a high fever!

Conclusion: it 可以用作非人称代词 , 表示 _____,

_____, ______, ______, ______, ______ 等。

date

weather

time

distance

place

temperature

日期天气 时间 距离 地点 温度

It is obvious that the water was to blame.It is true that he will treat me for breakfast tomorrow.It is certain that our class will do a good job in the final exam.Is it possible that he will become the chairman of our country?It is amazing that at my age I still look like a student!分析 : it 是 __________, 句子真正的主语是___________________ 。

Read and analyze the sentences.

形式主语that 引导的主语从句

牢记以下常用于该句型的形容词It is clear/obvious/true/possible/certain/

amazing/ridiculous 等 + that 从句 .

思考 : 为什么要用 it 做形式主语而把真正主语放到后面去 ?

遵循英语语言的尾重原则 , 避免句子头重脚轻。

The use of “it”

一、 用作人称代词 , 代表前面提到的人或事物1) Who’s it? ________ me.

2) Look at the picture. _____ is a picture

of our school.

It’s

It

二、用于代替指示代词 this 和 that 。

---Is this jacket yours?

---Yes, ______ is.it

三、用以表示时间、距离、天气、气候、 季节、环境等

1) It is half past eight now.

2) It’s only half an hour’s walk from here

to our school.

3) I hope that it will be fine tomorrow.

4) It has rained much this year.

5) It’s spring now.

6) It’s quiet here.

Time

Distance

Weather

Weather

Season

Circumstance

替代作主语的从句、动词不定式、动名词 , 而把真正作主语的从句、动词不定式、动名词置于句尾。

四、 it 用作形式主语

1. 代作主语的动词不定式1) It be adj. (for sb.) to do sth.此处 adj. 通常为描述事件的形容词 : easy, difficult, hard, necessary, unnecessary, possible, impossible, likely, unlikely, right, wrong, important, unimportant, legal, illegal, well-mannered, ill-mannered, polite, impolite, clear, obvious, certain, suitable, proper, fit, useful ， useless, dangerous…It is illegal (for a teenager) to drive a car without a license.

2) It be adj. of sb. to do sth.

此处 adj. 通常为描述人的形容词 : kind,

unkind, nice, rude, cruel, considerate,

thoughtful, thoughtless, careful, careless,

silly, foolish, stupid, clever, wise, crazy.

It's kind of you to help me with the problem.

It’s no good/use doing…

It’s (well) worth doing…

3) It 替代作主语的动名词的常见句型

2. it 作形式主语替代主语从句

It is clear ( obvious, true, possible, certain

…) that ...

该句型中 it 是形式主语 , 真正的主语是that 引导的主语从句 , 常译为“清楚 ( 显然 ,

真的…… )”, 是主语从句最常见的一种结构。e.g. It is very clear that he’s round and tall

like a tree.

①It is adj. + clause

It is said (reported/ learned/believed

/thought/known/told/hoped.....) that ...

该句型中的 it 仍是形式主语 , 真正主语是 that

引导的主语从句 ; 该结构常译为“据说 ( 据报道 ,

据悉… )” 。It is said that he has come to Beijing.

It is reported that another earth satellite has

been put into orbit.

②It is v-ed that…=sb./sth. is to do

③ It is + noun + 从句

It is a pity (a shame /an honor /a good thing/

a fact /a surprise/... ) that ...

该句型中 , that 后的从句一般用虚拟语气(should + 动词原形 ), should 可省去。表示出乎意料 , 常译为“竟然”。没有这种意义时 ,

则不用虚拟语气。如：

It is a pity that such a thing (should) happen i

n your class.

这种事竟然发生在你们班上 , 真是遗憾！It is a pity that he is ill. 他生病了 , 真遗憾！

五、 it 作形式宾语

当复合宾语中的宾语是不定式、动名词宾语从句时 , 往往把宾语放在它的补足语后面，而用 it 作形式宾语 , 放在宾语补足语之前。

该句型中的 it 作形式宾语 , 常用的动词有 t

hink, believe, make, find, consider, feel 等。

I think it no use arguing with him.

我认为和他争吵没有用。I found it very interesting to study English.

我发现学英语非常有趣。He made it clear that he was not

interested in this subject.

他非常清楚地表示他对那门学科不感兴趣。

六、用于强调句型中It + be+ 被强调部分 + that/who(a person) 从句I met Tom in the park yesterday.

1) It was I who met Tom in the park yesterday.

2) It was Tom who I met in the park yesterday.

3) It was in the park that I met Tom yesterday.

4) It was yesterday that I met Tom in the park.It was five o’clock _________ I got home.

It was at five o’clock _______ I got home.

when

that

It is not until + 被强调部分 + that ...

该句型也是强调句型。主要用于强凋时间状语 ,

译成汉语 “直到……才……” , 可以说是not ... until ... 的强调形式。如 :

It was not until she took off her dark glasses that

I realized she was a famous film star.

= Not until she took off her dark glasses did I

realize she was a famous film star.

= I didn’t realize she was a famous film star

until she took off her dark glasses.

七、 it 常用的固定搭配 1. make it

1)在口语当中相当于 succeed, 表示 : 成功、做到、说定、赶上、及时到达 如 :

It's hard to make it to the top in show business.

2) 在口语中相当于 fix the date for, 表示“ 约定好时间” 如 :  

—Shall we meet next week?

—OK. We just make it next Saturday.

2. take it/things easy

相当于 Don’t worry or don’t hurry. 用来劝告别人 , 表示“不要慌 , 别担心 , 沉住气”Take it easy ！ He will do it well.

3. It all depends/that all depends 在口语中 ,

相当于 it hasn‘t been decided yet, 表示“那得看情况 , 还没有定下来”—Are you going to the countryside for holiday?

—It/That all depends.

4. It's up to sb.

在口语中 , 相当于 it's decided by

sb. 表示“由……决定 , 由……负责 , 取决于……”

—Shall we go out for dinner ？ —It's up to you.

高考链接1. He didn’t make ____ clear when and

where the meeting would be held. ( 天津 2007)

A. this B. that C. it D. these

2. ____ is our belief that improvements in

health care will lead to a stronger, more

prosperous economy. (浙江 2006)

A. As B. That C. This D. It

C

D

3. The doctor advised Vera strongly that

she should take a holiday, but ______ didn’t

help. (2005全国 )

A. it B. she C. which D. he

4. I’d appreciate ______ if you would like

to teach me how to use the computer.

(山东 2006)

A. that B. it C. this D. you

A

B

1) It was not _____ she took off her dark glasses

____ I realized she was a famous film star. (92)

A. when, that B. until, when

C. until, that D. when, then

2) It was not until ____ that ____ to prepare

his lessons. (91)

A. did his father come in, the boy began

B. did his father come in, did the boy begin

C. his father came in, did the boy begin

D. his father came in, the boy began

C

D

改错1.You won’t find difficult to get to the city

center. (2004全国 )

2. I know there is not easy to be a teacher.

(2004湖北 )

3. This is not surprising that the Silver

Ghost was regarded as “the best car in

the world”.

find 后加 it

there → it

This → It

Exercises:1. I hate ______ when people talk with their mouths full. A. it B. that C.these D. them 2. In which play is ______ your brother will appear? A. that where B. this when C. it that D. it where3. ______ the harder you work, the better result you’ll get. A. It’s believed that B. What we believed that C. It’s fact D. What the fact is

A

C

A

4. Nothing can stop us, _______?

A. can’t it B. can it C. can’t we D. can we

5. ---Can you tell us how the war was won in

the end ?

--- I don’t know, ________.

A. It’s hard to say B. It doesn’t matter

C. It’s no use saying

D. It depends on the work

B

A

6. Does ______ matter a lot whether she

will come here by bus or by taxi?

A. The thing B. that C. it D. her mother

7. ---Listen! Someone is unlocking the goods.

---_____ must be your father coming

back from Beijing.

A. It B. There C. That D. This

C

A

8. ---Have you written a letter to her ?

---No, but I’m going to write _____ tonight.

A. it B. that C. those D. one

9. --- Are they coming to the meeting?

--- ________.

A. I know so B. I am sure so

C. I am sure of it D. I question it

10. _______ now pretty late, we took candles

and went upstairs.

A. Being B. For C. For being D. It being

D

A

D

11. The teacher told the students _______.

A. why to learn English important

B. why was it important to learn English

C. why it important to learn English

D. why it was important to learn English

12. The TV sets made in China are much

better than ______ in Japan.

A. that B. those C. them D. it

D

B

13. Our food and service are better than _____ used to be. A. It B. we C. they D. them14. ---I’m looking for a flat. ---Would you like ____ with ___ garden? A. it; the B. it; a C. one; a D. one; the15. _______ four years since I joined the Army. A. It was B. It is C. There is D. There was

C

C

B

For more exercises, click here.

Tell the function of “it”:

1.It’s difficult to remember all their names.

2. It’s very quiet in the café.

3. It rained for three days.

4. He made it clear that he didn’t want to

speak to me.

5. It was nice to meet you.

形式主语 , 代替……Circumstance

Weather

形式宾语 , 代替……

形式主语 , 代替……

6. It was on Tuesday that Smith came.

7. It’s three miles from here to the nearest

garage.

8. A tall man stood up and shook hands.

It was captain Lawrie.

9. I hear you bought a new bike. Can you

show it to me?

用于强调句型中

Distance

人称代词 , 代表前面提到的人

人称代词 , 代表前面提到的物

10. It was five o’clock when we got back home

yesterday.

11. It was dirty and wet below the ship where

the slaves were kept.

12. It was on this coast that lots of his people

disappeared.

13. It was most likely that one third of them

had lost their lives.

Time

Circumstance

用于强调句型

作引导词 , 在句中作形式主语 , 代替后面的从句

1. I’m still fit enough to cycle 20 kilometers

in an afternoon. That is amazing.

It is amazing that I am still fit enough to

cycle 20 kilometers in an afternoon.

2. My father has quit smoking. That is

wonderful.

It is wonderful that my father has

quit smoking.

Rewrite the following sentences, using “It’s … that”.

3. You could suffer from bad health if you

keep smoking. ( It is likely).

It is likely that you could suffer from

bad health if you keep smoking.

4. China produces one third of the

world’s cigarettes. It is reported.

It is reported that China produces one

third of the world’s cigarettes.

5. Bird flu (禽流感 ) hit China again. That

is known to us. It is known to us that bird flu(禽流感 ) hit China again.6. Li Yuchun got more than one million yuan for the advertisement. People say that. It is said that Li Yuchun got more than one million Yuan for the advertisement.

7. Some young people think that they look

attractive when they smoke. It seems

that…

It seems that some young people think

they look attractive when they smoke.

1. 是到戒烟的时候了。 (quit) It is time to quit smoking.

2. 让人惊讶的是在我这个年纪我依然 这么健康。 (It is amazing that...)

It is amazing that at my age I am

still so fit.

It is a little difficult for adolescents to become accustomed to a new enviroment.

3. 一旦你吸烟上了瘾 , 你会发现要把它戒掉 很难。 (addict... to;tough)

Once you are addicted to smoking, you

will find it tough to give it up.

4. 青少年要适应新的环境有点难。 (adolescent; accustom...to)

Homework

1. Finish exercise 2 on page 21: Rewrite the sentences.

2. Revise and master the use of it.

3. Preview the Reading:

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