This / that / it

Question

First question, if you will forgive my intrusiveness.
As I see it, one can use THIS/THAT to refer back to whole clauses and sentences .
More and more people are discovering that Tai Chi is one of the most valuable forms of exercise. This has led to a big demand for classes. (THIS refers back to a whole sentence.) But IT can't refer back to a whole clause or sentenece? Right?
Second, "The new album by ‘The Noughts’ went on sale yesterday. It is their third album in three years and is set to become as great a success as previous releases"
IT is used here to continue to refer to the topic we are already writing about, so IT always replaces one word that has been mentioned before, not the whole clause or sentence?
Third, we have clarified that THAT and THIS refer to a whole clause, but can they refer to one word? Like "The new album by ‘The Noughts’ went on sale yesterday. THIS/ THAT is their third album in three years and is set to become as great a success as previous releases".
Please elaborate and correct. Thank you.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Vladv
First question, if you will forgive my intrusiveness.
As I see it, one can use THIS/THAT to refer back to whole clauses and sentences .
More and more people are discovering that Tai Chi is one of the most valuable forms of exercise. This has led to a big demand for classes. (THIS refers back to a whole sentence.) But IT can't refer back to a whole clause or sentence? Right? That's usually right, but sometimes 'it' doesn't refer to anything. It may just be part of an idiom:
When it comes to selling homes, photography plays a major role.
Second, "The new album by ‘The Noughts’ went on sale yesterday. It is their third album in three years and is set to become as great a success as previous releases"
IT is used here to continue to refer to the topic we are already writing about, so IT always replaces one word that has been mentioned before, not the whole clause or sentence? Typically, yes.
Third, we have clarified that THAT and THIS refer to a whole clause, but can they refer to one word? Yes. (To be more accurate, they aren't referring to the word, but to the real-world thing that the word refers to.) Like "The new album by ‘The Noughts’ went on sale yesterday. THIS/ THAT is their third album in three years and is set to become as great a success as previous releases".
Please elaborate and correct. Thank you.

I wrote a long post on this topic many years ago, but it seems to have been deleted. At least I can't find it today.

Basically, 'this' and 'that' refer to situations. We use 'this' at the time of the situation and 'that' when the situation is in the past.

This is a great [party / concert / ...]. (while you're at the party)
That was a great [party / concert / ...]. (the next day, the next week, etc.)

CJ

This / that / it

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