This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving.
Search BBC
BBC World Service
BBC BBC News BBC Sport BBC Weather BBC World Service Worldservice languages
 
spacer gif
You are in: Home > Grammar, Vocabulary & Pronunciation > Ask about English
Learning English
spacer gif
It: to identify people and introduce clauses
Blue t-shirt

Fabiola from Italy writes:

If I ask: Who’s the girl in a blue T-shirt? should I answer: It’s Susan or She’s Susan?

Which is the right personal pronoun?
Roger Woodham replies:

'it' to identify people

When we are trying to identify people, we normally use it to refer to them, so in your example, Fabiola, the answer would be: It’s Susan, not She’s Susan.

Incidentally, for the question, we would probably use the definite article and say: Who’s the girl in the blue T-shirt? as we are talking about a particular girl and a particular T-shirt.

Here are some more examples of it used to identify people:

  • Is that Prince Harry talking to the TV reporter? ~ No, it isn’t. It’s Prince William.
  • We must go. Let’s get the bill. Is that our waitress over there? ~ No, it isn't. Our waitress has got longer hair.

However, in a face-to-face situation which is more personal, we sometimes use the second person pronoun instead of the third person.

Compare the following:

  • Hello! We’ve met before, haven’t we? It’s Tom, isn’t it? ~ Yes, it is.
  • Hello! We’ve met before, haven’t we? You’re Tom, aren’t you? ~ Yes, I am.
  • Hello! My name’s Susan and you are...? ~ I’m Rachel.
 

'it' to introduce clauses

It is a very versatile pronoun and can be used in many different ways.

It is used with adjectives to introduce a to + infinitive expression:

  • It was kind of you to phone. (NOT: To phone was kind of you.)
  • It’s always nice to talk to you. (OK, BUT MUCH MORE FORMAL: To talk to you is always nice.)
  • It’s good to hear you’re feeling better. (NOT: To hear you’re feeling better is good.)

It is also used to introduce a for + infinitive construction:

  • Talk to him. It’s important for him to understand that she won’t always be there.
  • It will be easier for you to study if you get rid of that boyfriend.
   

'it' as subject instead of that or wh- clause

Instead of using a that-clause or wh-clause as the subject of the sentence, we often prefer to introduce it by using the pattern with it + be + adjective/noun and follow this with the clause.

Compare the following (the examples in brackets () are too awkward with this word order):

  • It’s a pity (that) you can’t attend the meeting. (NOT: That you can’t attend the meeting is a pity.)
  • It’s not clear why he resigned. (OK, BUT MORE FORMAL: Why he resigned is not clear.)
  • It’s very important that he should be told about this immediately. (NOT: That he should be told about this immediately is very important.)
     

it + verb + object + clause.

Compare the following:

  • It worries me when he drives so fast. (NOT: When he drives so fast worries me.)
  • It surprises me that he hasn’t been caught. (NOT: That he hasn’t been caught surprises me.)
  • It would please me if he got a speeding ticket. (NOT: If he got a speeding ticket would please me.)

Finally, with the verb take, when we are talking about the time needed to make things happen, we normally use an it-construction:

  • How long does it take (you) to get to work? ~ It takes about ten minutes by bike, twenty minutes by car.
  • Would you mind translating this letter for me? ~ No, not at all. It won’t take (me) very long.
more questions

BBC copyright
 
Learning English | News English | Business English | Watch and Listen
 
Grammar and Vocabulary | Communicate | Quizzes | For teachers
 
Downloads | FAQ | Contact us