3.2. Introductory / impersonal it

We can use it as an 'empty' subject. This is a grammatical device to introduce or identify something later in the phrase. It is followed by a definite noun phrase:

'Who's that?' It's Alan.'

Hello, it's Steve here. Could I speak to Jane?

'What's worrying you?' 'It's the children.'

It can refer to one or many things, but grammatically it is always singular:

× It are Alan and Margaret at the door.

• It's Alan and Margaret at the door.

We use it + be to introduce information about the following topics:

weather/ environment	It’ll be cold in Edinburg at this time of the year. It was damp and foggy in London that autumn.
time/dates	It is eight o’clock in the morning. Thank goodness it’s Friday today.
conditions/ situations	It’s so quiet and peaceful here. It was becoming increasingly dangerous.
distance	It’s quite a long way to the nearest town.

Common expressions with it

We use it before seems as if/though and looks as if/though to describe impressions and probability: It seems as if we've known each other for years. (This is my impression.) It looks as though I'm going to fail the test. (I think it's probable.)

We can also use it as an 'empty' object after certain verbs to introduce a following clause:

like/hate/love + it + when/that clause (This is used to describe likes and dislikes.)	I hate it when people stare at me. We love it when the grandchildren come over.
would appreciate it + if clause (This is used to make a polite request.)	I would appreciate it if you could fax your response as a matter of urgency.
own/leave it to somebody + infinitive clause	We owe it to him to try and find a resolution. We leave it to you to suggest a suitable date.
think/find/consider + it + adjective/noun/ preposition phrase + that clause	I find it intolerable that we have to recourse in law. He thought it a pity that they hadn’t contributed to the fund. I consider it in your own best interests that you leave immediately.

Impersonal it

We sometimes want to describe our attitudes, feelings and opinions without mentioning ourselves directly. We can use it + be as an impersonal way to introduce these phrases. This is less direct than sentences beginning with I think/feel/believe and allows us to present opinions as though they were impersonal general feelings or even objective facts. We also use this device in academic writing where there is a convention that ideas should be presented in an impersonal way.

There are several patterns that we use:

it + be + adjective + -ing from (We use this in informal English.)	It was lovely meeting you at last.
it + be + adjective + that clause	It isn’t surprising that she left you. It is remarkable that so few of the patients suffered side effects.
it + be + adjective + infinitive clause	It’s wonderful to sit out here under the stars. It was possible to recognize regularities in the patters of soil distribution.
it + verb or modal verb phrase (usually passive) + that clause (We use it in formal written English.)	It has been shown that most of the patients improved noticeably. It should be noted that the majority of the responses were positive.

It + a passive reporting verb describes impersonal or general feelings. It also allows us to report someone's words without mentioning the speaker/s. We use a verb clause after the verb, not a noun phrase:

It was said (that) he was innocent.

It is believed (that) the rebels are about to attack the capital.

Uses of it in discourse

If the subject of a sentence is a long clause we can use it as an 'empty' subject so that we can put the long subject at the end:

It was hard to believe that he had behaved so appallingly. (= That he had behaved so appallingly was hard to believe.)

This device also helps us put new information in the end focus position:

It really hurts me to be going away. (= To be going away really hurts me.)

It can also be an 'empty' object, anticipating a later clause. This allows us to combine several pieces of information into one sentence, again putting new information at the end:

We leave it to the reader to appreciate what this will mean. (= The reader can

appreciate what this will mean. We leave it to the reader to do this.)

She thought it a pity/sad that he hadn't joined in the festivities. (= He hadn't joined in the festivities. She thought that was a pity.)

! We don't usually use it as an 'empty' object when the main verb is not followed by an adjective or by a noun or preposition phrase:

× She thought it that he hadn’t joined in the festivities.

• She thought that he hadn't joined in the festivities.

We also use it to introduce cleft sentences:

It isn't just his outlandish sense of humour that I'm complaining about.