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Fire1 Posted 6 years ago
Grammar

Can "it" be used before what "it" refers to?

Can "it" be used before what "it" refers to like in sentence A below? OR have you seen "it" used in this way as in A?


A. When it found the lake, the duck began to swim.


Here, "it" is "the duck"


It seems like I have sometimes come across this usage of "it", although I have learnt that "it" is used after what it refers to.


So, according to what I've learnt, A should be "When the duck found the lake, it began to swim", but I'm asking if it's possible to use "it" before what it refers to. (Of course, the context is that the duck isn't mentioned before sentence A and after A)


Lastly, can "he, she, they" be used before what "he, she, they" refer to as well?

Like, " when he found the lake, Mike began to drink the water"

Here, he = Mike

  

Top answer

fire1 Can "it" be used before what "it" refers to like in sentence A below? A. When it found the lake, the duck began to swim.

— Anonymous

  • fire1 Can "it" be used before what "it" refers to like in sentence A below?
  • A.
  • When it found the lake, the duck began to swim.
  • That is unremarkable.
  • fire1 So, according to what I've learnt, A should be "When the duck found the lake, it began to swim", but I'm asking if it's possible to use "it" before what it refers to.
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1 Answers
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fire1Can "it" be used before what "it" refers to like in sentence A below? OR have you seen "it" used in this way as in A?A. When it found the lake, the duck began to swim.

That is unremarkable.

fire1So, according to what I've learnt, A should be "When the duck found the lake, it began to swim", but I'm asking if it's possible to
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