Why Do English Speakers Always Say "It"? An Analogy to Instantly Grasp English's 'Unspoken Rules'

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

For example, when it's raining outside, we simply say "下雨了" (raining), which is straightforward. But in English, you have to say "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 seem 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 understand the true usage of "it" and instantly elevate your English intuition.

Imagine "It" as a Restaurant "Placeholder"

Imagine walking into a very popular and busy restaurant.

The rule at this restaurant is: The entrance must always remain clear; no long queues of guests are allowed to block it.

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

What would he do?

He would smile, hand you an electronic pager, and say: "It will vibrate when your table is ready, please wait a moment."

This small pager is exactly "it".

It's not your actual table, but it represents your table. 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, when we look at the usage of "it" again, everything will become clear.

1. Reserving a Spot for "Long Guests" (Dummy Subject)

Just like that restaurant, English has an aesthetic preference: it likes concise beginnings. When a subject is too long or too complex, it can make the sentence feel top-heavy.

For instance, consider 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 truly too long! It's like a large group of people blocking the restaurant entrance.

So, the clever English host — "it" — makes its appearance. It reserves the spot first:

It is fun... It's fun...

The entrance is immediately clear. Then, the host unhurriedly tells you what your true "spot" is:

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

See? "It" is like that pager; it doesn't have a literal meaning 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, it's that pager again; the real star is coming later."

2. Holding a Spot for "Obvious Guests" (Weather, Time, Distance)

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

When you ask the host: "What time is it?" He replies: "It is 3 o'clock."

When you ask: "How's the weather outside?" He replies: "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 verbose. The versatile placeholder "it" appears again, making conversations extremely efficient.

It’s Monday. (It's Monday.)
It’s 10 miles from here. (It's 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 a focal point.

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

The ordinary way to say it is:

Tom gave me the gift yesterday.

But if you want "Tom" to be the center of attention, the host will pick up his spotlight (the "It is... that..." sentence structure) and illuminate him:

It was Tom who gave me the gift yesterday. It turns out it was Tom who gave me the gift yesterday.

This sentence structure is like saying: "Pay attention! The key point I want to make is — Tom!" You can put any part you want to emphasize into this spotlight:

To emphasize the gift: It was the gift that Tom gave me yesterday.
To emphasize yesterday: It was yesterday that Tom gave me the gift.

"It" is still a formal subject here, but its role is to push the core information of the sentence onto center stage.

Conclusion: A Mindset Shift from "It" to "Placeholder"

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

Instead, see it as a "restaurant host" in the English language, one who pursues simplicity, elegance, and efficiency.

When the subject of a sentence is too long, it uses it as a placeholder to keep the beginning clean and crisp.
When the subject is self-evident, it uses it to simplify and avoid verbosity.
When emphasis is needed, it uses it to shine a light and create a focal point.

Once you grasp 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 idiomatic and natural.

Of course, once you understand the rules, the next step is to put them into practice. Chatting with someone who speaks English is the best way to practice. If you're worried about language barriers, why not try Intent, a chat app? It comes with powerful AI real-time translation, 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 just a bunch of rules to memorize; it's a set of intelligent communication habits. And "it" is that small, beautiful key that can help you unlock authentic English.