英语it的用法小结
江苏沛县湖西中学鹿俊先 221611
1．实义的it。
实义的it用来指代具体的内容。
1．1．指代上文提过的除人以外的生物或非生物，复数形式为they。
The earth is the planet that we live on. It is the fifth largest planet of the solar system.
This car is not fast enough. It can only do 60 miles an hour.
John is in the school football team. It was reorganized last year.
“Where is the cat?”“It is in the garden.”
“Where are the cats?”“They are in the garden.”
1．2．指代上文提过的性别不明或无须指明性别的小孩。
To feed a child without also educating it is a fault in the father.
What’s matter with the baby? It has been crying.
Her baby is due next month. She hopes it will be boy.
1．3．作主语指代上文提过的人，谓语用以指明该人的身份。
“Who is that at the door?”“It’s the postman.”
The footsteps drew nearer and she saw from behind the curtain who her visitor was. And she opened the door to welcome her. It was Maria Cragg.（文中的主人已知客人是谁，所以在使用It之前就使用了her，但读者依然不明白，所以最后用It 作主语谓语指明该人的身份。）
1．4．作主语，指代谓语部分所说明的自然现象（如：风、雨、热、冷）、季节、时间、距离、环境等。
It was raining hard when he got off the train.
Is it very cold in your country in December?
It is high time (that) we had a rest.
It was early spring / 1986 when we first met.
It is six months since he lost his job.
It won’t be long before we meet again.
It is only two hours’ ride / eighty miles to Cleveland.
It is very dark / pretty / crowded / noisy /dirty in the room.
1．5．指代上下文或一定语境所表明的情况、事件等。
“I’m trying to change my job.”“You’ll find it difficult.”（it指调换工作这件事。）
“I’ll have to work all night through.”“It is awful.”（it指你彻夜工作这件事。）You’ll be in trouble before you know it.（it指你陷入困境这件事。。）
English is very important, and we all know it.（it指英语的重要性。）
When the factory closes, it will mean 500 redundancies.（it指工厂倒闭这件事。有些学者把此处及以下四个句子中的it解释为形式主语或形式宾语但却无法解释没有真正的主语/宾语何来形式主语/宾语。）
I’d appreciate it if you could help me with the work.（it指你帮助我工作这件事。）
I hate it when people speak with their mouths full.（it指人们边吃东西边讲话这一情况。）
He likes it when Mary is with him.（it指Mary的陪伴。）
It is dull when Mary is away.（it指无Mary相陪的状况。）
“Isn’t it lovely here?”“Yes, I like it here.”（it指这儿的环境。）
It seems that no one has any objection to the idea.（it指作为话题的事实、情况。有些学者把此处的it解释为形式主语，但却回避seem不能单独作谓语这一事实或无法解释为什么主语从句不能复位。）
It happens that his sister is a close friend of mine.（同上）
It must be that I made a mistake about him.（同上）
2．半实义的it。
半实义的it仅在形式上替代某一内容处于某一语法位置。
2．1．作形式主语，替代不定式短语、动名词短语及名词性从句，把这类较长的主语移至句尾，使句子显得匀称。
It is a great pleasure to be working with you.
It is necessary for you to obey the order.
It is no use crying over spilt milk.
It was fortunate that there was a doctor at the spot.
It doesn’t matter what he thinks.
2．2．作形式宾语，替代不定式短语、动名词短语及名词性从句，后接宾语补足语，把这类较长的宾语移至宾语补足语之后，使句子显得匀称。
We consider it foolish of him to meet her.
Jane found it dull working at the kitchen sink all day.
George made it clear that he disagreed.
I take it for granted that you all know this.
3．虚义的it。
it本身无意义。用于强调结构，强调句子中的某一成分，这一成分往往是说话人认为对方所不清楚的。
It was Jim that / who shot a bear yesterday.
It was a bear that Jim shot yesterday.
It was yesterday that Jim shot a bear.
It may have been at Christmas that John gave Mary a silk handbag.
Was it because he was ill that he didn’t attend the lecture?
Where was it that you found the wallet?
It was not until he came that we started.