Why Do English Speakers Always Say 'It'? An Analogy to Instantly Understand English's Unspoken Rule

Have you ever wondered why English has so many peculiar sentences?

For instance, when it's raining outside, we simply say 'It's raining' – simple and clear. But English insists on saying 'It is raining.' Who exactly 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, saying 'It is important to talk to interesting people.' Why not just get straight to the point?

These ubiquitous 'it's feel like a mystery. But what if I told you this is actually a very elegant 'unspoken rule' in English?

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

Imagine 'It' as a 'Placeholder' at a Restaurant

Imagine you walk into a very popular, bustling restaurant.

The rule at this restaurant is: The entrance must always be clear and tidy; a long queue of customers cannot block it.

When you arrive at the restaurant with a large group of friends (a long and complex subject), the usher won't let a dozen of you clutter the entrance, waiting for seats and discussing the menu.

What will they do?

They will smile and hand you an electronic token/pager, then say: 'It will vibrate when your table is ready, please wait.'

This small token/pager is exactly what 'it' is.

It's not your actual seat, but it represents your seat. It's a temporary 'placeholder' that keeps the entrance (the beginning of the sentence) clear and concise, while also telling you that the real good stuff (that long subject) is coming later.

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

1. Reserving Seats for 'Long Guests' (Dummy Subject)

English, like that restaurant, has an aesthetic preference: it likes concise beginnings. When the subject is too long or complex, it can appear top-heavy and unbalanced.

Take this sentence for example:

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 group of people blocking the restaurant entrance.

So, the clever English usher—'it'—steps in. It first reserves the seat:

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

The entrance immediately becomes clear. Then, the usher calmly tells you what your real 'seat' is:

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

See? 'It' is like that token/pager; it has no real 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...', 'It is great meeting you.', you'll get a knowing smile: Oh, it's that token/pager again, the real star is coming later.

2. Reserving Seats for 'Commonly Understood Guests' (Weather, Time, Distance)

Sometimes, the guests are so obvious that they don't even need an introduction.

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

When you ask: 'How's the weather outside?' They 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. We don't need to say 'The time is...' or 'The weather is...' every time; that's too verbose. 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 Guest' (Emphatic Sentences)

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

Still at the restaurant, the usher can not only arrange seating but also help you find someone. Suppose your friend Tom gave you a gift yesterday, and you want to emphasize that it was Tom who gave it.

The common way to say it is:

Tom gave me the gift yesterday.

But if you want 'Tom' to be the centre of attention, the usher will pick up their spotlight (the 'It is... that...' sentence structure) and illuminate 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 main point I want to make is—Tom!' You can put any part you want to emphasize into this spotlight:

Emphasizing the gift: It was the gift that Tom gave me yesterday.
Emphasizing yesterday: It was yesterday that Tom gave me the gift.

Summary: A Mindset Shift from 'It' to 'Placeholder'

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

See it as an 'usher' in the English language, one who pursues conciseness, elegance, and efficiency.

When the subject of a sentence is too long, it uses it as a placeholder to keep the beginning crisp.
When the subject is self-evident, it uses it to simplify and avoid being verbose.
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 will instantly become smooth and natural.

More importantly, when you consciously start using it in your speaking and writing, your expressions will immediately sound more authentic and rhythmic.

Of course, understanding the rules, the next step is to put them into practice. Chatting with a foreign friend is the best way to practice. If you're worried about language barriers, why not try the Intent chat App? It has 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 use.

Remember, language isn't a bunch of rules to be rote-memorized, but a set of intelligent communication habits. And 'it' is that small yet beautiful key that can help you unlock authentic English.