Trường THPT Tam Phú – Thủ Đức Tô Thanh Hiền – GVAV – 0935080458

THE IMPERSONAL “IT”

Examples “IT” as a formal subject “IT” as an extra object
a. To be with her was nice. It was nice to be with her. I found it nice to be with her.
1. Subject is
To Inf Phrase V adj V adj To Inf Phrase S V adj To Inf Phrase
to infinitive
b. To advertise is a waste of money. It is a waste of money to advertise. We believe it a waste of money to advertise.
phrase
To Inf Phrase V Noun Phrase V Noun Phrase To Inf Phrase S V Noun phrase To Inf Phrase
2. Subject is
c. Going out late seems dangerous. It seems dangerous to go out late. People think it dangerous to go out late.
gerund
Gerund Phrase V adj V adj To Inf Phrase S V adj To Inf Phrase
phrase
It is very necessary that you learn English.
3. Subject is d. That you learn English is very necessary. V adj That Clause They see it very necessary that you learn E.
that clause That Clause V adj It is very necessary for you to learn English. S V adj That Clause
V adj O To Inf Phrase
(for + O) To Inf Phrase (for + O) To Inf Phrase
FORMS IT + V + adj / NP + S+V+ IT + adj / NP +
That Clause That Clause
Những động từ thường dùng với cấu trúc này là:
NOTES find, think, consider, know, see, believe,
make, take…
EXERCISES
Use the formal subject and the extra object “IT” to rewrite these sentences
1. To predict the future accurately is virtually impossible. It ______________________________________________________________________
 We consider ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Chatting seems a waste of time.  It ________________________________________________________________________________________
 They think _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. That they may arrive next week is possible.  It _______________________________________________________________________________
 We believe ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. To understand what she’s talking about is quite difficult.  It _____________________________________________________________________
 Many people find __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Leaving a job is difficult for people having a lot of children.  It __________________________________________________________________
 They consider __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Do you think that getting rid of a bad habit is easy?  Is it ______________________________________________________________________
 Do you _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. I find that living on my salary must be hard.  It _______________________________________________________________________________
 I find ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. That he doesn’t get married to her seems unknown.  It _________________________________________________________________________
 We believe _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Is to tip waiters customary in your country?  Is _______________________________________________________________________________
 Do you find _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. That he will arrive before dark seems probable.  It ____________________________________________________________________________
 We believe _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________