The preparatory/ Introductory "There/It"
The preparatory/ Introductory "There/It"
"There" is merely a formal subject and so is meaningless. "There is/are" is used to denote the mere existence of something and not place. The verb must agree with the real subject which follows the verb.
"Two books are on the table" is grammatically possible, but it is more usual to say "There are two books on the table".
"There is/are" is also used to denote "an occurrence".
e.g. There was an accident at this corner last night.(i.e. an accident occurred)
There will be a performance of Myanmar Ramayana Drama at the National Theatre.( i.e. a performance will take place.)
1) ________ a good film at the Mingalar Theatre.
2) ________ a meeting tomorrow.
3) ________ no mistakes in your last exercise.
4)_________ an opening ceremony of the exhibition yesterday.
5) ________ many candidates in the Assembly Hall when I arrived.
6) ________ a lot of people in the park yesterday.
7) _________ one for you tomorrow.
8) _________(negative) another train for at least two hours.
9) _________ a few changes since you left last week.
10) ________ only a footpath here when I first came to this university.
1) A couple was sitting at the table next to ours.
2) The guards are standing at the entrance to the Assembly Hall.
3) A man and a woman are coming towards us.
4) Something is wrong with my watch.
5) More than four people were killed in that accident.
6) Look! A man is loitering about our department.
7) Balloons were floating across the sky while we were clapping at the opening ceremony of the new bridge.
8) Passengers are running after the bus.
9) Planets are revolving around the sun in the solar system.
10) A brook is flowing through our village.
When the formal subject "It" is used , for example, "It" is meaningless. The real subject "It" is used with verbs concerning weather conditions (e.g., stormy, rainy, windy, wet, freezing) and also with expressions of time (e.g. 10 o'clock) and measurement (e.g. ten miles away) and with other impersonal statements or to introduce a complex subject which may be a phrase (e.g. to drive a car) or a clause (e.g. that they are going abroad).
"It" is quite common in technical writing as can be seen in the examples below.
"It" is quite common in technical writing as can be seen in the examples below.
e.g.
We find it necessary to calculate the cost.
It is necessary for us to calculate the cost.
He found it hard to live on his small pension.
It was hard for him to live on his small pension.
We find it exciting to take the position of a liaison officer.
It is exciting for us to take the position of a liaison officer.
e.g.
It was rainy yesterday.
It is hot today.
It is windy at the top of Mount. Popa.
What time is it? It is ten o'clock.
It has been a long time since we met in Mandalay.
It is nearly ten miles away from my house.
It is easy to drive a car.
It is not easy to mend a fence.
It is the fact that they are going abroad.
It isn't the fact that he is being transferred.
Is it easy for a rich widow to find a handsome husband?
It's impossible for our two friends ever to quarrel.
It's difficult for anyone to be angry with her.
It was obvious that he didn't intend to help us.
It is strange that he should have said that.
It was unfortunate that the weather was so wet.
It's likely that there will be rain before evening.
1) ________ a long time ago.
2)_________ a great day when he passed his examination.
3) ________ raining for three hours without stopping.
4) ________ possible (that) he doesn't understand English?
5)________ wrong not to do as you're told.
6) ________ wonderful to go to Singapore with you.
7) ________ wiser to drive slowly.
8)________ a pity to waste it.
9)________ a mistake to ignore his advice.
10) _______ good to do noble deeds.
There was a storm last night.
It was stormy last night.
There was rain last week.
It was rainy/very wet last week.
It is noticed that the basic patterns are "There/It + verb + subject". Sometimes "There" and "It" have the same usage in the examples mentioned above. But as in the following examples, the meanings are different.
e.g.
There is time to go . (i.e. We still have time before we go.)
It is time to go. ( i.e. The correct time to go has come.)
There is a long way to go. (i.e. We still have this distance more to go.)
It is a long way to go. ( i.e. The distance we have to travel is long.)
There is enough for everyone. (i.e. There may be more than what everyone needs.)
It is enough for everyone. (i.e. The quantity is enough for everyone.)
1)________ lot of things to be done this morning.
2)________ time to go bed.
3)________ most delightful to lie in bed with a book on a rainy day.
4)________ no place like home.
5) _______Time to finish the experiment before we go.
6) _______hard times ahead of us.
7) ________Not easy to travel a thousand years ago.
8) _________several bad accidents at this corner recently.
9) ________a long time since I had a holiday.
10) _______a man standing under that tree ten minutes ago.
11) _______wonderful to see you again next week.
12) _______still several empty seats in the plane when I arrived.
13) _______nothing left if we don't go soon.
14)________ time to get twice as far as he did.
15) _______time you took your medicine.