'It' and 'one/some/any/none'

'It' as in 'It's hot' and 'It's nice to see you'

   1)      ‘empty subject’ : ‘It’s hot’

It carries no information in sentences like It's hot, It's 8 o'clock, etc. so we call it an 'empty

subject'. We use it because a sentence must have a subject. (Not 'Is hot?

   2)       'preparatory subject': 'It's nice to see you'

We sometimes begin a sentence with it and continue with to-, -ing or that.

The true subject is to-, -ing, or that, but we generally prefer to begin with it:

To lie in the sun/Lying in the sun is pleasant. + It's pleasant to lie/lying in the sun.

That he's arriving today is certain. + It's certain (that) he's arriving today.

Write: Here are some notes. Write them as sentences beginning with It.

1 Monday, 13th June today. ....It’s Monday, 13^th June, today.

2 Snowing now. Snows a lot here. .........................................................................................................

3 22" Celsius in London yesterday. .......................................................................................................

4 100 kilometres from here to Paris. ......................................................................................................

5 Important to get to the meeting. ..........................................................................................................

6 Difficult making such decisions. ..........................................................................................................

7 A pleasure to welcome you all here. ...................................................................................................

8 A pity that they couldn't come. ............................................................................................................

'It' and 'one' as subjects and objects: 'I like it'

   1)       We use it and they if we are referring to 'something particular':

Has the letter arrived this morning?- Yes, it has just arrived.

Have the letters arrived this morning? - Yes, they have just arrived.

   2)       We use one, some and none when we mean 'in general':

Has a letter arrived? - Yes, one has just arrived.

Have any letters arrived? - Yes, some have arrived. No, none have/has arrived.

   3)       We must use an object after verbs like enjoy and like :

particular: Do you like this cake? - Yes, I like it. (Not *I like// don't like?)

general: Would you like some cake? - Yes, I'd like some./No, I don't want any.

(Not 'I'd like// wouldn't like?)

Write: Supply it, them, one, some, any or none in the following.

1 Were any cars parked outside our house today? -Yes, …one…was parked there all morning.

2 Was that car parked outside our house today? -Yes, ....................was parked there all morning.

3 Did any letters come for me this morning? - No, .................... came for you.

4 Have the spare parts arrived yet? - Yes, .................... of them have just arrived.

5 Do you like this dish? - Yes, I like....................very much.

6 Did you enjoy the strawberries? - Yes, I enjoyed....................very much.

7 Would you like some strawberries? - No, I don't want ..................... thank you.

8 Would you like any cherries? - Yes, I'd like .....................p lease.

9 Have you got the maps with you? - No, I haven't got....................

10 Have you got a spare light bulb? - No, I haven't got....................

'I hope/believe/expect so'

   1)       We use so (not 'it') after these verbs when we are responding in the affirmative:

believe, expect, fear, guess, hope, imagine, say, suppose, tell someone and think:

Is what you told me true? - I believe so. (Not *I believe* *I believe it')

   2)       We use so in the affirmative after I'm afraid and It seems:

The weather changing for the worse. - I'm afraid so. It seems so.

   3)       We can make a negative in two ways after these verbs:

believe, expect, imagine, suppose, think and It seems:

Is that true? - I don't think so. Or: I think not.