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Introductory there and it - Coggle Diagram
Introductory there and it
Introductory there
Use
there (as an 'empty' subject) + is/are
-
1) to introduce new information.
2) to say that smth exists or happens.
3) to introduce or describe a character or place
4) to 'set the scene' when telling a story or joke.
:warning: There is/are + indefinite noun phrase (usuallu followed)
:warning: There is/are + definite phrase ( to remind someone of smth we/they already know / pointing smth out)
If you're looking for a cafe, there's one opposite the station. (new information)
(Fifty-one states exist in the USA). There are fifty-one states in the USA.
(Three murders happen in the film) There are three murders in the film.
(Is a bank situated near here?) Is there a bank near here?
At the top of the hill there's a small cafe with wonderful views over the bay.
There's an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman who go into a bar.
In the hotel lobby there is a cash mashine. (indefinite noun phrase)
In the hotel lobby there is the cash machine. (definite noun phrase) (NOT CORRECT)
Don't forget there's a /the cash machine in the lobby if you run out of money. (reminding somebody of smth you/they know)
Look, there's a/the cash machine, next to the porter's desk. (pointing smth out)
Form
There + all forms of be including modal forms.
:warning: the form of be agrees with the complement.
:warning: There is + plural complement (in conversational English)
Once upon a time there were three little bears.
There will be an interval of twenty minutes during the performance.
Threr must have been a thousand applicants for the post.
There is only one answer to this question.
There were two ways out of the building.
There's two ways we can do this.
Special patterns
There + be + noun + participle phrase.
:warning: When we are describing a single action we use a full relative clause.
V (with future meaning: anticipate, expect, envisage, intend) + there + to be/being
There's a strange old man sitting in the corner.
There are two scales of temperature use in science.
In 1755 there was an earthquake which destroyed much of Lisbon.
The organisers didn't expect (there to be) quite such an overwhelming response.
We don't anticipate (there being) any resistance from the anti-hunting lobby.
Words and expressions after there (+be)
there + be + qualitifiers ( any, some, much, many, several...)
there + be + indefinite pronouns (smb, nothing...)
there + be + bound/certain/ expected/likely/ sure/ supposed + to be
there + be+ problem/difficulty/ trouble + ing form
there + appear/happen/seem(s)/ tend/ used + to be
there + a passive reporting verb + an indefinite noun phrase to describe a general feeling or belief
there + arise/arrive/came/emerge/enter/exist/follow/live/occure/remain/result/ sit/ stand/ take place.
In formal written English.
Are there any more issues outstanding?
There are several ways we can tackle this.
I've had a good look and there's nothing to report.
Isn't there somebody here who can help us?
If the government goes ahead there's sure to be an outcry from the miners.
Hang on, there was supposed to be a television in the room.
There won't be any trouble getting back.
There used to be a house at the end of the common.
Researchers noticed that there tends to be a higher number of influenza cases in warm winters.
There are thought to be several other senior officers implicated in the cover'-up
In Zaire alone, there are believed to be more than a million sufferers of the disease.
Deep inside her there arose a desperate hope.
At the crime scene there remained little in the way of physical evidence.
There follows a full list of our current terms and conditions of trading.
Introductory/impersonal it
Use
It (as 'empty' subject') + definite noun phrase - to introduce smth later in the phrase.
:warning: It can refer to one or many things but grammatically it is always singular.
It + be - to introduce information about the following topics.
:pencil2: weather/environment
:pencil2: times/dates
:pencil2: conditions/situations
:pencil2: distance
'Who's that?' ' It's Alan.
Hello, it's Steve here. Could I speak to Jane?
What's worring you?' 'it's the children.'
It's Alan and Margaret at the door.
...
It'll be cold in Edinburg at this time of year.
It was damp and foggy in London that autumn.
It's eight o'clock in the morning.
Thank goodness it's Friday today.
It's so quiet and peaceful here.
It was becoming increasingly dangerous.
It's quite a long way to the nearest town.
Common expressions with it
seems, as if, looks as if/ though + it - to describe impressions ans probability.
as ampty object after certain verbs to introduce a following clause:
:pencil2: Like/hate/love + it(empty object) + when/that clause - to describe likes and dislikes
:pencil2: Would appereciate it(empty object) + if clause - to make a polite request.
:pencil2: Owe/leave it (empty object) to smb + infinitive clause
:pencil2: Think/find/ consider + it (empty object) + adj/noun/preposition phrase + that clasue
It seems as if we've known each other for years. (This is my impression)
It looks as though I'm going to fail the test. (I think It's probable)
I hate it when people stare at me.
I would appreciate it if you could fax your reponse as a matter of urgency.
We leave it to you to suggest a suitable date.
I find it intolerable that we have no recourse in law.
He thought it a pity that they hadn't contributed to the fund.
I consider it in your own best interests that you leave immediately.
Impersonal it
to describe our attitude, feelings, opinions without mentioning ourselves directly.
use in academic writing where there is a convention that ideas should be presented in an impersonal way.
:pencil2: it + be + adj + ing form (informal English)
:pencil2: it + be + adj + that clause
:pencil2: it + be + adj + infinitive clause
:pencil2: it + verb or modal verb phrase (usually passive) + that clause (formal written English)
:pencil2: it + a passive reporting verb (We use a verb clause after the verb, not a noun phrase.)
It was lovely meeting you at last.
It isn't surprising that she left you.
It's wonderful to sit out here under the stars.
It should be noted that the majority of the responses were positive.
It was said (that) he was innocent.
It is believed (that) the rebels are about to attack the capital.
Uses of it in discourse
as an 'empty' subject If the subject of a sentence is a long clause, so that we can put the long subject at the end.
to put new information in the end focus position.
'empty object' anticipating a later clause. This allows us to combine several pieces of information into one sentence, again putting new information at the end.
We don't usually use it as an 'empty' object when the main verb is not followed by an adjective or by a noun or preposition phrase.
to introduce cleft sentences.
It was hard to believe that he had behaved so appallingly. ( = that he had behaved so appallingly was hard to believe)
It really hurts me to be going away. (To be going away really hurts me)
We leaved it ot the reader to appreciate what this will mean. ( = The reader can appreciate this will mean. We leaave it to reader to do this)
She thought it a pity/sad that he hadn't joined in the festivities. ( = He hadn't joined in the festivities. Shethough that was a pity)
She thought that he hadn't joined in the festivities.
It isn't just his outlandish sense of humour that I'm complaining about.