Why is 'It' So Common in English? An Analogy to Unlock Its Hidden Rules

Have you ever wondered why there are so many odd sentences in English?

For instance, when it’s raining outside, in Chinese, we might simply say '下雨了' (raining), which is straightforward and direct. But English insists on saying 'It is raining.' Who exactly is this It? Is it the sky, the clouds, or some rain deity?

Or, when you want to say, 'Talking to interesting people is important,' English often takes a detour, expressing it as 'It is important to talk to interesting people.' Why not just get straight to the point?

These ubiquitous 'its' seem like a mystery. But what if I told you this is actually a very elegant 'unwritten rule' in English?

Today, we won't be poring over grammar books. We'll simply use a straightforward analogy to fully grasp the true usage of 'it', instantly elevating your English intuition by a notch.

Imagine 'It' as a 'Placeholder' in a Restaurant

Imagine you walk into a very popular, bustling restaurant.

The rule at this restaurant is: the entrance must always be kept clear, without a long queue of customers blocking it.

When you and a large group of friends (a long and complex subject) arrive at the restaurant, the maître d' won't let a dozen of you chaotically cram by the entrance, waiting for a table and discussing the menu at the same time.

What will they do?

They will smile and hand you an electronic pager, and say: 'It will vibrate when it's ready, please wait.'

This small pager is 'it'.

It isn't your table itself, but it represents your table. It's a temporary 'placeholder' that keeps the entrance (the beginning of the sentence) clear and concise, while letting you know that the real good stuff (that long subject) is coming later.

Once you understand this, let's look at the usage of 'it' again, and everything will become clear.

1. Reserving a Spot for 'Long Customers' (Dummy Subject)

English, like that restaurant, has an aesthetic preference: it prefers a concise beginning. When the subject is too long or complex, it can appear top-heavy.

For example, this sentence:

To learn a new language by talking to native speakers every day is fun. (Learning a new language by talking to native speakers every day is fun.)

This subject is simply too long! It's like a large crowd blocking the restaurant entrance.

So, the clever English maître d' – 'it' – steps in. It reserves the spot first:

It is fun... It is fun...

The entrance immediately clears up. Then, the maître d' unhurriedly tells you what your real 'spot' is:

It is fun to learn a new language by talking to native speakers every day.

See? 'It' is like that pager; it has no actual meaning itself, it's just 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...', or 'It is great meeting you', you'll smile to yourself and think: 'Oh, it's that pager again; the real star is coming later.'

2. Reserving a Spot for 'Obvious Customers' (Weather, Time, Distance)

Sometimes, the 'customers' are so obvious that they don't need any introduction at all.

When you ask the maître d': 'What time is it?' They'll reply: 'It is 3 o’clock.'

When you ask: 'What's the weather like outside?' They'll reply: 'It is sunny.'

Who is the 'it' here? Is it the god of time or the god of weather? Neither.

Because in these scenarios, the subject (time, weather, distance) is obvious to everyone. There's no need for us to say 'The time is...' or 'The weather is...' every time; that's too wordy. The versatile 'it' placeholder appears again, making the conversation highly efficient.

It’s Monday. (Monday)
It’s 10 miles from here. (10 miles from here)
It’s getting dark. (It's getting dark)

3. Shining a Spotlight on the 'Most Important Customer' (Cleft Sentences)

Finally, this placeholder has one more trick up its sleeve: creating focus.

Still at the restaurant, the maître d' 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 Tom gave it to you.

The ordinary way to say it is:

Tom gave me the gift yesterday.

But if you want 'Tom' to be the centre of attention, the maître d' will pick up their spotlight (the 'It is... that...' sentence 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: 'Attention! The key point I want to make is – Tom!' You can put any part you want to emphasise into 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.

Here, 'it' is still a formal subject, but its role is to push the core information of the sentence onto centre stage.

Summary: The Shift in Thinking – From 'It' to 'Placeholder'

Next time you encounter 'it', don't just see it as a simple 'it' any more.

Think of it as a 'maître d'' in the English language, one who strives for conciseness, elegance, and efficiency.

When the subject of a sentence is too long, it uses it to reserve the spot, keeping the beginning neat.
When the subject is self-explanatory, it uses it to simplify and avoid being wordy.
When emphasis is needed, it uses it to shine a light and create focus.

Once you master this 'placeholder' mindset, you'll find that many English sentences that once confused you instantly become smooth and natural.

What's more, when you consciously start using it in your speaking and writing, your expressions will immediately sound more natural and rhythmic.

Of course, once you understand the rules, the next step is to put them into practice. Chatting with a foreign friend is the best way to practise. If you're worried about language barriers, you might want to try Intent, a chat app. It comes with powerful AI real-time translation built-in, allowing you to communicate seamlessly with people from all over the world and immediately put what you've learned today into practice.

Remember, language isn't a bunch of rules to be memorised by rote, but a set of communication habits full of wisdom. And 'it' is that small, elegant key that can help you unlock natural English.