Foundation grammar · Unit 39 · A1

It ...

There and it

Use it as the subject when you talk about the time, the day, distance and the weather, and in the pattern it's easy / nice / difficult to do something. English sentences need a subject, so it cannot be left out.

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A it for time, day, distance and weather

In these sentences it does not mean a thing. It simply fills the subject position, which English will not leave empty.

Topic Examples
time What time is it? It's quarter to six. It's early. It's time for bed.
day What day is it? It's Monday. It's 9 October. It was Bonfire Night on Sunday.
distance It's two miles from the school to the leisure centre. How far is it from Leeds to York?
weather It's snowing. It isn't raining. Is it windy? It rains a lot in Wales.

With distance, use far in questions and negatives (is it far? it isn't far). In positive sentences, use a long way (it's a long way).

Weather adjectives work the same way: it's warm / hot / cold / fine / cloudy / windy / sunny / foggy / dark, and so on.

Compare it and there for weather. With it, use a verb or an adjective. With there, use a noun.

it there
It snows a lot in the Pennines. There's a lot of snow in the Pennines.
It was very foggy this morning. There was thick fog this morning.
  • "What time is it?" "It's quarter to six."
  • It's time for bed.
  • It was Bonfire Night on Sunday.
  • It's two miles from the school to the leisure centre.
  • It's a long way from here to the coast.
  • We can cycle there. It isn't far.
  • It rains a lot in Wales. It didn't rain once last week, which nobody believes.
  • It's a lovely day today.

B It's nice to ... etc.

It's + adjective + to + verb.

Useful adjectives here: easy / difficult / hard / impossible / dangerous / safe / expensive / interesting / nice / lovely / wonderful / terrible.

In these sentences, it stands for the part with to. In It's lovely to see you, the lovely thing is to see you.

  • It's lovely to see you again. (it = to see you again)
  • It's hard to read his handwriting. (it = to read his handwriting)
  • It wasn't easy to find a parking space. (it = to find a parking space)

C Do not leave out it

A sentence needs a subject. Where the subject is it, it must be said, even though it carries no meaning of its own.

  • It's snowing again. (not Is snowing again.)
  • Is it true that the chippy is closing? (not Is true that ...)

Exercises

39.1 What is the weather like in each scene? Write a sentence with It's ... .

  1. A bright sun in a clear blue sky over a beach.

    It's sunny.

    It's sunny.

  2. White flakes are falling on the roofs and the cars.

    .

  3. A road where you cannot see the cars ahead because of thick grey air.

    .

  4. Trees are bending and a man's umbrella has turned inside out.

    .

  5. Water is falling from dark clouds and people are running for the bus shelter.

    .

  6. Two people in thick coats, hats and scarves, with a thermometer showing minus five.

    .

39.2 Put in it is (it's) or is it.

  1. What time is it in Sydney now?

    What time is it in Sydney now?

  2. Come on, we need to leave. nearly midnight.

  3. true that your sister plays the bagpipes?

  4. "What date today? The third?" "No, the fourth."

  5. about two miles from the station to the football ground.

  6. possible to park near the theatre?

  7. "Shall we cycle to the lake?" "Maybe. How far ?"

  8. my grandad's birthday today. He's ninety.

  9. Two goals in one minute! unbelievable.

39.3 Write questions with How far ... ?

  1. (here / the bus station)

    How far is it from here to the bus station?

    How far is it from here to the bus station?

  2. (the campsite / the lake)

  3. (Manchester / Liverpool)

  4. (your flat / the hospital)

39.4 Put in it or there.

  1. It snows a lot in the hills.

    It snows a lot in the hills.

  2. There was a lot of thunder last night.

    There was a lot of thunder last night.

  3. was a lovely evening yesterday.

  4. We can't go sailing. isn't any wind.

  5. 's freezing in this kitchen. Shut the back door.

  6. I didn't want to walk home because was so foggy.

  7. was a big storm on Tuesday night. Did it wake you up?

  8. 's a long way from here to the nearest cashpoint.

39.5 Complete the sentences with it's + an adjective + to + a phrase. Choose from the boxes.

easyhardlovelyimpossibleinterestingexpensivemake friendsget to sleephear from youpark in the town centrelearn new thingsget a taxi home

  1. If you drink coffee late at night, it's hard to get to sleep.

    If you drink coffee late at night, it's hard to get to sleep.

  2. Thanks for your letter, Gran. . How's the garden?

  3. . The car parks are always full.

  4. Everybody at my new college is very friendly. .

  5. I enjoy my evening classes. .

  6. Taxis cost a fortune in this city. after midnight.

See also