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Lyok0929 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
'It is...' What is it referring to?
Hello, English forum! I'm here to throw you guys a question today.
'It has been very hot recently.'
It... what is 'it' referring to? This question has not left my mind in the past few days and has been confusing me and affecting my writing(Mini question 1.- Did that last sentence make sense?).
I was taught that 'it' was used as a reference item towards a noun which isn't used in that sentence.
Am I being too picky? Should the word 'it' automatically be considered to be implying the meaning of 'recent days'?
((Mini question 2.- Did that last sentence make sense?).
Mini question 3.
'How much historical value is there contained within this relic?'
Should this sentence be 'How much historical value is contained within this relic?' Do they have different meanings?
I apologize for jumping from one topic to another. I have recently been seriously questioning my English abilities.
'It has been very hot recently.'
It... what is 'it' referring to? This question has not left my mind in the past few days and has been confusing me and affecting my writing(Mini question 1.- Did that last sentence make sense?).
I was taught that 'it' was used as a reference item towards a noun which isn't used in that sentence.
Am I being too picky? Should the word 'it' automatically be considered to be implying the meaning of 'recent days'?
((Mini question 2.- Did that last sentence make sense?).
Mini question 3.
'How much historical value is there contained within this relic?'
Should this sentence be 'How much historical value is contained within this relic?' Do they have different meanings?
I apologize for jumping from one topic to another. I have recently been seriously questioning my English abilities.
Top answer
1. Yes the sentence is meaningful esp. if it is part of a some article/conversation on weather.
- 1.
- Yes the sentence is meaningful esp.
- if it is part of a some article/conversation on weather.
- Here, the pronoun 'it' in the general sense refers to the weather, If the sentence has to stand for itself then it is best reframed as: The weather has been very hot recently.
- 2.
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1 Answers
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1. Yes the sentence is meaningful esp. if it is part of a some article/conversation on weather. Here, the pronoun 'it' in the general sense refers to the weather,
If the sentence has to stand for itself then it is best reframed as:
The weather has been very hot recently.
2. same as 1.
3.
How much historical value is attached to the relic?<---This is better
If the sentence has to stand for itself then it is best reframed as:
The weather has been very hot recently.
2. same as 1.
3.
How much historical value is attached to the relic?<---This is better
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