Why Do English Speakers Always Say "It"? An Analogy to Help You Instantly Grasp English's Unwritten Rules
Have you ever wondered why English has so many peculiar sentences?
For example, when it's raining outside, we just say "下雨了" (It's raining), simple and clear. But English insists on saying "It is raining." Who on earth is this "It"? Is it the sky, the clouds, or the rain god?
Or, when you want to say, "Talking to interesting people is important," English often takes a detour, phrasing it as "It is important to talk to interesting people." Why not just get straight to the point?
These ubiquitous "its" are a bit of a mystery. But what if I told you that this is actually a very elegant "unwritten rule" in English?
Today, we're not going to wade through grammar books. With just one simple analogy, we can completely understand the true usage of "it," instantly giving your English a serious boost.
Imagine "It" as a Restaurant's "Placeholder"
Picture yourself walking into a really popular, bustling restaurant.
This restaurant has a strict rule: the entrance must always be kept clear; you can't have a long queue of customers blocking it.
When you arrive with a big group of friends (a long and complex subject), the greeter won't let a dozen or so of you all jumbled up at the door, discussing the menu while waiting for a table.
What will they do?
They'll smile and hand you an electronic buzzer, then say: "It'll vibrate when it's ready, please wait a moment."
This little buzzer is "it."
It's not your seat itself, but it represents your seat. It's a temporary "placeholder," keeping the entrance (the start of the sentence) clear, while telling you that the real good stuff (that long subject) is coming later.
Once you understand this, the usage of "it" becomes crystal clear.
1. Reserving a Spot for the "Long Guests" (Dummy Subjects)
Like that restaurant, English has an aesthetic preference: it likes clean beginnings. When a subject is too long or too complex, it can sound top-heavy and awkward.
For instance, this sentence:
To learn a new language by talking to native speakers every day is fun.
This subject is just too long! It's like a big crowd blocking the restaurant door.
So, the clever English greeter – "it" – steps in. It holds the spot first:
It is fun...
The entrance immediately clears up. Then, the greeter calmly tells you what your actual "seat" is:
It is fun to learn a new language by talking to native speakers every day.
See? "It" is like that buzzer; it has no actual meaning in itself, but it's an elegant placeholder that makes the sentence sound more balanced and natural.
Next time you see sentences like "It is important to...", "It is necessary that...", "It is great meeting you," you'll smile knowingly: Ah, there's that buzzer again; the real main event is coming up.
2. Reserving a Spot for the "Obvious Guests" (Weather, Time, Distance)
Sometimes, the guests are so obvious that they don't even need an introduction.
When you ask the greeter, "What time is it?" They reply, "It is 3 o’clock."
When you ask, "What's the weather like outside?" They reply, "It is sunny."
Who is "it" here? The god of time or the god of weather? Neither.
Because in these scenarios, the subject (time, weather, distance) is common knowledge to everyone. We don't need to say "The time is..." or "The weather is..." every time; that's just too wordy. The versatile "it" placeholder appears again, making the conversation incredibly efficient.
- It’s Monday.
- It’s 10 miles from here.
- It’s getting dark.
3. Shining a Spotlight on the "Most Important Guest" (Cleft Sentences)
Finally, this placeholder has another special trick: creating a focal point.
Still at the restaurant, the greeter can not only arrange seating but also help you find people. Suppose your friend Tom gave you a gift yesterday, and you want to emphasise that it was Tom who gave it.
The normal way to say it is:
Tom gave me the gift yesterday.
But if you want to make "Tom" the centre of attention, the greeter will pick up their spotlight (the "It is... that..." structure) and shine it on him:
It was Tom that gave me the gift yesterday. (It was Tom who gave me the gift yesterday.)
This sentence structure is like saying, "Listen up! The key thing I want to tell you is – Tom!" You can put any part you want to emphasise under this spotlight:
- To emphasise the gift: It was the gift that Tom gave me yesterday.
- To emphasise yesterday: It was yesterday that Tom gave me the gift.
"It" here is still a formal subject, but its role is to push the core information of the sentence to centre stage.
Summary: A Mental Shift from "It" to "Placeholder"
Next time you come across "it," don't just see it as a simple "it" anymore.
See it as a "restaurant greeter" in the English language, one who strives for conciseness, elegance, and efficiency.
- When the sentence subject is too long, it uses it to hold the spot, keeping the beginning neat.
- When the subject is self-evident, it uses it to simplify, avoiding verbosity.
- When there's a need to highlight something, it uses it to shine a light, creating a focal point.
Once you master this "placeholder" mindset, you'll find that many English sentences that once confused you suddenly become smooth and natural.
More importantly, when you start consciously using it in your speaking and writing, your expressions will immediately sound more authentic and have a better rhythm.
Of course, once you understand the rules, the next step is to put them into practice. Chatting with an English-speaking friend is the best way to practice. If you're worried about language barriers, why not try Intent? This chat app has powerful AI real-time translation built-in, allowing you to communicate seamlessly with people all over the world and immediately put what you've learned today into action.
Remember, language isn't a bunch of rules to be memorised by rote; it's a set of clever communication habits. And "it" is that small yet powerful key that can help you unlock authentic English.