0
Park sang joon Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

'it' witch is seemingly useless

The second big immediate decision, which could well be announced simultaneously with or even before the MX program, might seem easier, since its cost is less and it entails no environmental problems. But it is four months overdue. Weinberger initially expected to reveal in March what sort of intercontinental manned bomber the U.S. would build to replace its aging fleet of 316 b-52s, whose mission it to retaliate against the U.S.S.R.
if a nuclear strike is ever mounted.

I was wondering why there is 'it' after "whose mission" and what role 'it' plays.

Thank you in advance for your help.
  

Top answer

It's a typo. It should read "is" (or "it is").

— GPY

  • It's a typo.
  • It should read "is" (or "it is").
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

7 Answers
0
It's a typo. It should read "is" (or "it is").
0
0
Thank you, GPY, for your valuable answer and correction.
I'm so sorry Emotion: sad; it is I who have made a typo.
0
0
These are two different ways of constructing the relative clause, corresponding to the following non-relative ones:

the mission (of the fleet) is to retaliate against the U.S.S.R. -> ... fleet of 316 b-52s, whose mission is to retaliate against the U.S.S.R.

it is the mission (of the fleet) to retaliate against the U.S.S.R. -> ...
0
0
Thank you, GPY, for your precise answer.

it is the mission (of the fleet) to retaliate against the U.S.S.R. -> ... fleet of 316 b-52s, whose mission it is to retaliate against the U.S.S.R.

The second one adds a bit of emphasis, and makes the mission seem like a bigger deal.
I didn't know the second way and I've never seen suc
0
0
park sang joonI'd like to know whether this usage is, you think, the like of the structure "It is that~".
Yes, I guess it's broadly similar.
0
0
Thank you, GPY, for your continuing support. Emotion: smile
0
0

The second big immediate decision, which could well be announced simultaneously with or even before the MX program, might seem easier, since its cost is less and it entails no environmental problems. But it is four months overdue. Weinberger initially expected to reveal in March what sort of intercontinental manned bomber the U.S. would build to replace its aging fleet of 316 b-5
0

Related Questions