为了讨论的方便,可以将it的用法进行下面的分类:
指代(后行)it:
It的基本用法是用来指代上文所提到的事物。如:
Whatever you do or say, ask yourself whether it is in the interests of the people.
A: Pass me a blue pen. B: Here it is / Here you are.
it, that, one, the one, ones, the ones 用于指代用法时的区别:
it代替上文提及的原物(复数用they);one指代上文提及的、泛指的可数名词单数(复数ones);that指代上文提及的定指的可数名词单数或不可数名词(复数those), the ones 相当于these, those。
There is a river along the village. ______ is a river with a long history.
The red pen is on the desk and ______ is Tom's.
This pen is mine and ______ is Tom's.
This pen is mine and ______ on the desk is Tom's.
Mother bought a new bike and gave ________ to me.
My mother bought me a new dictionary and her mother will buy her _____ too.
Milk with sugar tastes better than ________ without sugar.
A pencil with rubber is more useful than ________ without rubber.
Bikes made in Shanghai are better than ________ made in Changsha.
指代不明身份或性别的人也用it;指代喜爱的事物或宠物也可用she / he。
A:Who's it (knocking at the door)? B: It's me.
"I didn't know it was you, comrade Lenin." said the guard.
The crowd moves on. No one tries to stop it.
Look that lovely baby in the cradle! Oh, dear. It is crying.
My car needs some more petrol. Let's fill her up.
China has a history of over 5,000 years old. She is proud of her culture.
虚义it:
虚义it指用作没有具体语义的主语,如表示时间、天气、距离、温度等概念的用法。
When spring comes, it is getting warmer and warmer.
It is cooler in Tianjin than in Beijing.
It is only about half an hour's ride from here to my home.
It looks as if the college is very small.
It seemed as though our plan would be perfect. (参见课本SBIII P.55)
形式it:
由于句法结构的需要,常用it作形式主语,而把真正的主语放后置。
1.形式主语:不定式、动名词以及主语从句作主语时,为避免“头重脚轻”,要
将真正的主语后置。(SBIII P.83 Ex.2)
It seemed impossible (for him) to get back home. (不定式作主语)
It was worthwhile searching for his "roots." (动名词作主语)
It was obvious that his ancestor taught his younger generation little of his own
language. (主语从句作主语)
It is / was difficult (easy, hard, important, necessary, useful, fit, possible, a pity, a
Pleasure…) (for sb.) to do sth. ;
It is / was kind (nice, wise, clever…) (of sb.) to do sth.;
Cf. Sb. is / was angry ( ashamed, delighted, disappointed, excited, glad, happy,
pleased, proud, sorry, surprised, thankful…) to do sth. ;
It is better (interesting, tiring, enjoyable, funny, fun, a bore, a waste of time…)
doing sth.;
It is clear (plain, true, certain, sure, obvious…) + that clause + 陈述语气;
It is important ( necessary, strange, a pity…) + that clause + (should ) do;
It is a suggestion (my wish, 及与disco动词有关的名词) + that clause +
(should) do;
It is ordered (及与disco动词有关的动词的被动语态) + that clause +
(should) do;
It is high / very time that we should have lunch / had lunch here.
It is the first / last time that we have had lunch here (just).
It is the third time that we shall have lunch here (in a moment).
2.形式宾语:当不定式、动名词、that 从句作宾语,又有自己的宾语补语时,要
用it 作形式宾语,而把真正的宾语后置。如:
Marx found it important to study the situation in Russia.
The fisherman made it a rule that he never cast his net more than four times a day.
The ancient people took it for granted that the earth was flat.
We think it necessary reading aloud every morning to improve our English.
能够用于形式宾语句型的动词有think, make, find, consider, feel, take等。
强调it: 为了强调句子中的某一成分,可以用“It is / was + 被强调部分 +
that / who+其它”的句型。如:
It was because he liked music that he went to the college to learn playing the piano.
I met an old friend in the street last week.(
It was I who met an old friend in the street last week. (强调主语)
It was an old friend that I met in the street last week. (强调宾语)
It was in the street that I met an old friend last week. (强调地点状语)
It was last week that I met an old friend in the street. (强调时间状语)
注意:1)一般强调时间不能用when, 强调地点不用where; 2)强调谓语用下
列方式: I did meet an old friend in the street last week.
What I did last week was (to) meet an old friend in the street.
与it有关的几组相似句型:
It is clear that the elephant is round and tall like a tree. (形式主语)
It is the elephant that is round and tall like a tree. (强调句型)
It is ten years since he returned to his hometown.
It was ten years ago that he returned to his hometown.
It was 1990 when he returned to his hometown.
It is in 1990 that he returned to his hometown.
He went abroad in 1980. It was ten years before he returned to his hometown.
3. He didn't find he had his wallet stolen until he got off the bus.
(Not until he got off the bus did he find he had his wallet stolen
(It was not until he got off the bus that he found he had his wallet stolen.
(Was it not until he got off the bus that he found he had his wallet stolen?
(When was it that he found he had his wallet stolen?
历届高考英语单项选择题精选(一)"it"的用法
1.Was it during the Second World War_____ he died?
A.that B.while C.in which D.then (88)
2.Is ____ necessary to complete the design before National Day?
A.this B.that C.it D.he (89)
3.I don’t think ____ possible to master a foreign language without much memory work.
A.this B.that C.its D.it (91)
4.Does ______ matter if he can’t finish the job on time?
A.this B.that C.he D.it (91)
5.It was not _____ she took off her glasses _____ I realized she was a famous film star.
A.when , that B.until , that C.until , that D.when , then (92)
6.I was disappointed with the film . I had expected ______ to be much better.
A.that B.this C.one D.it (93)
7.It was not until 1920 ______ regular radio broadcasts began.
A.while B.which C.that D.since (94)
8.______is a fact that English is being accepted as an international language.
A.There B.This C.That D.It (95)
9.It was only when I reread this poems recently _____ I began to appreciate their beauty.
A.until B.that C.then D.so (97)
10.I hate_____when people talk with their mouths full.
A.it B.that C.these D.them (98)
11.It is the ability to do the job _____ matters not where you come from or what you are.
A.one B.that C.what D.it (2000)
KEYS: 1-5 ACDDB 6-10 DCDBA 11 B