In many kinds of English sentence, you will find the word "it" or the word "there" in the subject position. These are usually "impersonal" sentences -- sentences where there is no natural subject. This introduction will help you to understand when to use "it" and when to use "there".
Impersonal "it"
| When to use it
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Examples
|
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Talking about weather
|
It's raining.
It's cold.
It was sunny yesterday.
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| Identifying something
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"Who is it?"
"It's me."
"What is it?"
"It's a cat."
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| Talking about time
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"What time is it?"
"It's five o'clock."
"What day is it?"
"It's Thursday."
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| Talking about distance
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"How far is it to Toronto?"
"It's 4000 kilometers."
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Impersonal "there"
Impersonal "there" is used to say that something exists in a particular place:
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Singular
|
There is a book on the table.
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Plural
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There are three men in the car.
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