building blocks“It” and “There”

Introduction

It and there are used as subjects when there is no natural subject in a sentence.

Using “it”

“It” is used to identify something or someone.

Example Question Example Answer
“Who is it?” It's me.”
“What is it?” It's a cat.”

“It” is also used to talk about the weather, about time, and about distance.

When to use “itExample Question Example Answer
Talking about weather “What's it like outside?” It's sunny.”
Talking about time “What time is it?” It's two o'clock.”
Talking about distances “How far is it to Banff?” It's 900 kilometers?”

Using “there”

“There” is used to say that something exists in a particular place.

When to use “thereExample Sentence
Singular There is a party tonight.
Plural There are lots of people at the party.
Singular question Is there a party tonight?
Plural question Are there many people at the party?

 

When you are sure that you understand the lesson, you can continue with the exercise.