Page 241 - Advanced English Grammar in Use
P. 241

( 1 )
                   It...
                  I t . . . (1)

                    of using
                                                                             as
                                                                  or
                              tbat-clause,
                                                                     //-clause
                            a
                                                                                         of the
                                                                                  subject
                                        u^-clause,
                                                                               the
                                                  to-infinitive clause,
              Instead
              Instead of  using  a  that-clause,  wh-clause,  to-infinitive  clause,  or  //-clause  as  the  subject  of  the
              sentence, we usually  (and  always  with  an  //-clause)  prefer  to  use  a  pattern  with  it  +  be  +
              sentence,  we   usually  (and  always with an  //-clause)  prefer to  use  a pattern with it + be +
              adjective/noun + clause. Compare:
              adjective/noun  +  clause.  Compare:

                 It is
                     an honour that Professor Bolt is
                                                         That Professor Bolt is attending the
            2   • ¢  It  is  an  honour  that  Professor  Bolt  is   • ¢  That  Professor  Bolt  is  attending  the
                                                                     an
                                                                        honour.
                                                                   is
                 attending the conference.
                                                         conference
                 attending  the   conference.            conference is  an  honour.
                 It is
                     clear why Don decided to
                                                         Why Don
                                                       •
                                                                            leave
                                                                  decided to
                                                                                      is
                                                                                Spain
                                                                                        dear.
                                           leave
                                                Spain.
               • ¢  It  is  clear  why  Don  decided  to  leave  Spain.  |  *  Why  Don  decided  to  leave  Spain  is  dear.
                                                                           very enjoyable.
                                                                   a choir is
                                                         To
                                   sing in a choir.
                 It's very enjoyable to
                                                            sing in
               • ¢  It's  very  enjoyable  fo  sing  in  a  choir.   • ¢  To  sing  in  a  choir  is  very  enjoyable.
                         surprising //the two countries
                 It will be
               • ¢  It  will  be  surprising  //the  two  countries
                 don't  reach  an   agreement soon.
                 don't reach an agreement  soon.


                                                             sentences
                             are
                                    formal.
                                less
                     sentences
                                                                               formal.
                                                                      are
                                                                         rather
               These
               These sentences  are  less  formal.
                                                       These sentences  are  rather  formal.
                                                        These

                                                                        sentence,
                                                         at the end of the
                                      us to put these clauses
                                                                                which
                      it... pattern
                                                                                      is the
                                                                                           usual
                                allows
             Using an it...  pattern  allows  us  to  put  these  clauses  at  the  end  of  the  sentence,  which  is  the  usual
             Using  an
                                                         or
                                               important
                     English
                            for information that
                                             is
                   in
                                                           new.
             place
             place in  English  for  information  that  is  important  or  new.
              In written English  we  don't  usually  use  an  it...  pattern  instead  of  sentences  which  begin  with  a
       B      In  written   English we don't  usually  use  an it...  pattern  instead  of sentences which  begin with  a
                     subject:
                   as
             noun as  subject:
              noun
                       success was unexpected,  (not It was  unexpected their  success.)
                • ¢   Their success  was  unexpected.  (not  It  was  unexpected  their  success.)
                  Their
                      in spoken English this is quite common:
              However,
             However, in  spoken  English  this  is  quite  common:
                  It tastes really good, this new ice cream.
                • ¢  It  tastes  really  good,  this  new  ice  cream.
             We  can   use  a similar pattern with  it + verb +  (object)  + clause using a verb other than be:
             We can use  a  similar  pattern  with  it  +  verb  +  (object)  +  clause  using  a  verb  other  than  be:
                  It helps to have a  very  sharp  knife  when  you  prepare  fish.
                • ¢   It  helps  to  have   a very sharp knife when you prepare  fish.
                                             left the company.
                  It didn't surprise me when Pete
                • ¢  It  didn't  surprise  me  when  Pete  left  the  company.
              Some verbs  are  often  used  with  it  +  verb  +  (object)  +  that-clause.Compare:
              Some   verbs  are  often  used with  it + verb  +  (object)  +  that-dause.  Compare:

                         (object) + that-clause
                                                            Alternative pattern
               It + verb + +  (object)  +  that-clause      Alternative   pattern
               It  +  verb

                 It worried me that she drove so fast.        I was worried that  she drove so  fast.
               • ¢  It  worried  me  that  she  drove  so  fast.   • ¢  I  was  worried  that  she  drove  so  fast.

                                   bike didn't belong to him.
                 It turned out that the
                 • ¢  It  turned  out  that  the  bike  didn't  belong  to  him.       X Xx

                                                                                       concern,
                                                                          annoy, bother,
                                                                    amaze,
                                          an alternative pattern
                                      with
                                                             include
                             as worry,
                         such
              Other verbs, such  as  worry,  with  an  alternative  pattern  include  amaze,  annoy,  bother,  concern,
              Other  verbs,
                            surprise.  Other verbs,  such as  turn out, with no alternative pattern  include
             frighten,  please,
             frighten, please, surprise.  Other  verbs,  such  as  turn  out,  with  no  alternative  pattern  include
                                                     seem, transpire.
                                emerge, follow, happen,
             appear, come about, emerge,  follow,  happen,  seem,  transpire.
              appear,  come  about,
       D     Some verbs are  commonly  used  with  an  it...pattern  when  they  are  in  the  passive  and  followed  by
                        are commonly
                                                                                      followed
                                                                      in the passive
                                                                                  and
                                     used with
                                                                                              by
                                             an it...pattern when they are
              Some  verbs
                                                clause:
                                   or
                                      to-infinitive
                         ^-clause,
               that-c\aust,
             a a  that-clause,wh-clause,  or  to-infinitive  clause:
            g   • *   It  was   agreed that the match should be postponed,  (not That the match  ... was agreed.)
                  It was agreed  that  the  match  should  be  postponed.  (not  That  the  match  ...  was  agreed.)
                                                         (not Why no action ... is being asked.)
                  It is being asked why no action is to be taken,  (not To celebrate  ... was decided.) determine,
                • *  It  is  being  asked  why  no  action  is  to  be  taken.  (not  Why  no  action  ...  is  being  asked.)
             Feaiy vin   Some verbs can or the say what is or characteristics in needed. a week to mend our roof.
                  It was decided to celebrate his 75th birthday,
                • ¢  It  was  decided  to  celebrate  his  75th  birthday.  (not  To  celebrate  ...  was  decided.)
                                                       accept,
                          followed
                                                             agree, believe,
                       this
                                                                                       hope,
                                                                          decide, expect,
                                  by a
                                      that-c\ausz
                                                include
                   like
             Verbs like  this  followed  by  a  that-clause  include  accept,  agree,  believe,  decide,  expect,  hope,
             Verbs
                               understand; verbs followed
                                                      by a w^-clause include
                         think,
                                                                          ask, decide,
             intend,  plan,
             intend, plan, think,  understand;  verbs  followed  by  a  wh-clause  include  ask,  decide,  determine,
                                                                        include
                                                        to-infinitive clause
                      know,
                                            followed
                                                                                    decide,
                                                                                           hope,
                            understand;
                                       verbs
                                                    by
                                                      a
                                                                               agree,
             establish, know,  understand;  verbs  followed  by  a  to-infinitive  clause  include  agree,  decide,  hope,
              establish,
                                                 by more than
                                                                     of clause.
                                                             one type
                                       be
                                         followed
             intend,  plan.
             intend, plan. Some  verbs  can  be  followed  by  more  than  one  type  of  clause.
                                                                   a particular activity;
                                                                                     for example,
                    use it with
                              take when we
                                                    or was needed
             We can use  it  with  take  when  we  say  what  is  or  was  needed  in  a  particular  activity;  for  example,
             We  can
                                           resources
                              needed,
                                                                          Compare:
             the amount of time needed,  or  the  resources  or  characteristics  needed.  Compare:
             the  amount  of  time
                                a week to mend our roof,
                                                             The men took
                                                           •
                                                       and
                • ¢
                  It took the men a  week  to  mend  our  roof.  and  *  The  men  took  a  week  to  mend  our  roof.
                  It  took  the  men
                                                        and
                                                                                            flute
                                                            • A lot of effort is needed to play the
                  It takes a lot of effort to play the flute well, and  +  A  lot  of  effort  is  needed  to  play  the  flute
                  It  takes  a  lot  of  effort  to  play  the  flute  well.
                • *
                                                              well.
                  t
              Reporng
                                                i
                                               t
                                  i
                              passves It...
                                    ;
                       t
                                                    j
                                                      i
                  i
                                                                                  l
                                                                                 I t - causes =
                                                  adectves:
                                                              well.
                       i tL:
                                                                 it...  0.
                                              whadjectives  {IEE
                     wh It...: ao
                                          It... vin
                                                                                It-clauses  Ta
                                                                 It... (2) = om
   236   237   238   239   240   241   242   243   244   245   246