When there is no possibility of using a clear subject in a sentence, we generally use ‘there’ or ‘it’. When we talk about material things, the word we use is ‘there’ and when we talk about abstract terms, we use Impersonal Pronoun ‘it’.
‘It’ is the only Impersonal Pronoun in English.
The Pronoun ‘it’ is used:
To represent a noun in the neuter gender: (inanimate things)
Examples:
There is a book on the table. It is mine.
This computer is getting struck. It is an old one.
I bought a new bike. It is an R15 Yamaha.
Have you done your homework? No, I have not done it.
It is a book.
It is a computer.
It is a mobile.
It is a mountain.
It is a water bottle
For animals, birds and insects when we don’t specify them as male and female:
Examples:
They have a cow. It gives milk
There is a horse. It doesn’t allow me to ride on it.
Here is a butterfly. It is very colourful.
There is a mosquito and it bites all other animals.
For little children when we don’t specify their gender:
Examples:
I saw a small baby. It is so cute.
There is a child away from the parents. It is crying.
Note:
But when we specify their gender, we have to use he or she.
Examples:
I saw a small baby called Madhuri. She is so cute.
There is a child named Bhasker. He is waiting for his friend.
To refer to some fact, event or situation already known:
Examples:
I had made the mistake and I realized it.
He had misbehaved and he knew it.
She was responsible for the cause and she knew it.
As a temporary subject of the verb ‘to be’ when the real subject is to follow:
Examples:
It is easy to speak like that.
It is not as easy to earn money as we think.
It is useless to argue with you.
It is doubtful whether you will succeed in it.
It is expensive to live in Delhi.
It is certain that we will get the vaccine.
To refer to sense verbs such as “to look” and “to sound” etc.,
Examples:
It sounds like a brilliant idea.
It looks good to all of us.
To lay emphasis on the noun or pronoun that follows:
Examples:
It was he who started yelling in the class.
It is Naren who helped you all the time.
It will be at Warangal that our next meeting will be held.
It is Mr. Reddy who is going to be the next Secretary.
As a Subject to an Impersonal Pronoun:
Examples:
It rained cats and dogs (heavily).
It is snowing now on those mountains.
Yesterday, it thundered like anything.
To refer to time, day, weather, temperature and distance:
Examples:
It is 12 o’clock now.
It was Sunday yesterday.
What day is it today?
It is a fantastic day.
It is your birthday.
It is on15th August.
It is a walkable distance from here to there.
To express an opinion on a particular person
Examples:
It is very kind of you to help me.
It is very nice of her to help my sister.
It is very sweet of them to inform me about it.
It was smart of him to help all these poor people.
For Collective Nouns when it is viewed as a single unit:
Examples:
The jury has expressed its opinion on this case.
The family has divided its property into four parts.
The staff has received its work schedule.
Other uses of ‘it’
It doesn’t matter:
Examples:
I didn’t reach there. Well, it doesn’t matter.
He doesn’t qualify for that but it doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t matter what I have studied.
It takes:
Examples:
Do you know how long it takes to finish the work?
It takes two hours to finish.
It’s time to + Base Verb (V1)
Examples:
It’s time (for us) to start our project.
It’s time (for you) to take somebody’s help.
It’s time to get a vaccine.
It’s time to attend the class.
It’s time to go to a movie.
It’s time or It’s high time / It’s about time
We use them to express that something could be done immediately or very soon. Because it could have been done some time ago. It already got delayed.
It’s time or It’s high time + Subject + Past Verb (V2)
Examples:
It’s time we started our project
It’s time we took somebody’s help.
It’s time you got a vaccine.
It’s time we went to college.
It’s high time she attended the class.
It’s high time he went to bed.
It is high time we had our breakfast.
It’s about time
Examples:
It is about time, the talented students are to be given priority.
It is about time that all the teachers’ salaries got disbursed.
They finally vacated my house. It is about time!
Difference between – Its Vs. It’s
Let us find out the difference between these confusing words.
Its is a possessive form like your, my, their, her etc.,
It’s the abbreviation of it is.
Examples:
The school maintains its own rules and regulations.
Impersonal Pronoun
Impersonal Pronoun ‘It’
When there is no possibility of using a clear subject in a sentence, we generally use ‘there’ or ‘it’. When we talk about material things, the word we use is ‘there’ and when we talk about abstract terms, we use Impersonal Pronoun ‘it’.
‘It’ is the only Impersonal Pronoun in English.
The Pronoun ‘it’ is used:
To represent a noun in the neuter gender: (inanimate things)
Examples:
For animals, birds and insects when we don’t specify them as male and female:
Examples:
For little children when we don’t specify their gender:
Examples:
Note:
But when we specify their gender, we have to use he or she.
Examples:
To refer to some fact, event or situation already known:
Examples:
As a temporary subject of the verb ‘to be’ when the real subject is to follow:
Examples:
To refer to sense verbs such as “to look” and “to sound” etc.,
Examples:
To lay emphasis on the noun or pronoun that follows:
Examples:
As a Subject to an Impersonal Pronoun:
Examples:
To refer to time, day, weather, temperature and distance:
Examples:
To express an opinion on a particular person
Examples:
For Collective Nouns when it is viewed as a single unit:
Examples:
Other uses of ‘it’
It doesn’t matter:
Examples:
It takes:
Examples:
It’s time to + Base Verb (V1)
Examples:
It’s time or It’s high time / It’s about time
We use them to express that something could be done immediately or very soon. Because it could have been done some time ago. It already got delayed.
It’s time or It’s high time + Subject + Past Verb (V2)
Examples:
It’s about time
Examples:
Difference between – Its Vs. It’s
Let us find out the difference between these confusing words.
Examples:
Impersonal Pronoun ‘It’ Exercises and Activities
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