it 在英语中的意思较多,用法较广,现总结如下。
(一)it作句子的真正主语
1.it 指前面已经提到过的人或事物,有时指心目中的或成为问题的人或事物,作真正主语。
例如:
What’s this? -It is a sheep? 这是什么??这是一只绵羊。
Who is it? -It’s me (I). 谁??是我。
It’s the wind shaking the window. 是风刮得窗户响。
2.it指时间、季节。一般用在无人称动词的主语。
例如:
What time is it? -It’s nine. 几点了??九点了。
It’s time for the meeting. Let’s go. 开会的时间到了,我们走吧。
What day is today? -It’s Saturday. 今天星期几??今天星期六。
What’s the date today? -It is October 1st.
今天是几号? ?今天是十月一日。
What season is it? -It is summer. 现在是什么季节??是夏季。
3.it 指气候。一般作无人称动词的主语。
例如:
Is it cold in this room? -No, it isn’t. 屋里冷吗??不冷。
What’s the weather like today? -It is fine.
今天天气怎么样??是晴天。
It often rains in summer and it often snows in winter in this city.
这个城市夏天经常下雨,冬天经常下雪。
4.it指距离、情况等。一般用作无人称动词的主语。
例如:
It is five kilometers from my home to the school.
从我家到学校有五公里。
It is very near from this factory to that one.
从这个工厂到那个工厂非常近。
It is a long way to the sea. 离海很远。
Is it well with you? 你身体好吗?
(二)it作形式主语
动词不定式、动名词短语起、从句在句子中起主语作用,而这一部分用词较多时,可以用it作为形式主语,放在句首代表其后所说的事实上的、真正的主语,而把真正的主语放在后面。
1.It +谓语+动词不定式。It 作形式主语,动词不定式作真正的主语。
例如:
It is difficult to climb a mountain. 爬山是很艰难的。
It’s a good habit to do morning exercises. 作早操是个好习惯。
It’s important to do proper memory work in the study of a foreign language. 在学习外语时适当地做一些有助于记忆的练习是很重要的。
It is right to do so. 这样做是对的。
2.It+谓语+动名词短语。It 作形式主语,动名词短语作真正的主语。
例如:
It is dangerous playing with fire. 玩火是危险的。
It is no use learning without thinking. 学而不思则罔。
It’s useless arguing with a silly boy. 和笨孩子争论是没有用的。
3.It +谓语+名词性从句。It 作形式主语,以that 引导的名词性从句是真正的主语。
例如:
It is a pity that you didn’t see such a good film.
你没看这么好的电影,真可惜。
It is certain that we shall succeed. 我们一定会成功。
It is strange that nobody knows where he lives.
真奇怪,谁也不知道他住在哪里。
(It is strange that…后面可用虚拟语气。
如:It is strange that he should have made such a mistake.
他居然犯了这样一个错误,真奇怪。
It is strange that nobody should know where he lives.
居然没有人知道他住在哪里,真奇怪。)
It is said that the plane will take off at ten tomorrow morning.
据说飞机明天上午十点起飞。
(三)it作形式宾语
it 作形式宾语,代表其后所说的真正的宾语。真正的宾语是以that 引导的名词性从句或不定式短语。例如:
I consider it wrong that you Chinese students learn English without comparing it with your own language.
我认为你们中国学生学习英语,不和你们自己的语言比较是不对的。
I find it not so difficult to learn a foreign language.
我发现学习一门外语不那么困难。
I remember I made it clear to you that I was not coming.
我记得向你明确表示过我不来。
They want to make it clear to the public that they are doing an important and necessary job.
他们要向公众表明,他们在做一件重要而又必要的工作。