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Koji from Japan Posted 4 years ago
Grammar

What does 'it' refer to

In the passage (a) below, does the last sentence make sense? I wonder what ‘it’ refers to.

I think the sentence should be (b) or (c), for example.


(a) Interestingly, much current research has examined the relationship between homework and academic success. What scientists and educators have begun to realize is that there is little correlation between how well students perform in school and how much homework they have to do. Rather, it is the quality of the assignments that they are given.


(b) Rather, the important thing is [what is important is] the quality of the assignments that they are given.

(c) Rather, it is the quality of the assignments they are given that count.

  

Top answer

Koji from Japan In the passage (a) below, does the last sentence make sense? It's not ideal. That is some loose, informal language, but it's not wrong.

— Anonymous

  • Koji from Japan In the passage (a) below, does the last sentence make sense?
  • It's not ideal.
  • That is some loose, informal language, but it's not wrong.
  • In what seems to be an academic piece, it is out of place.
  • That "it" is the dummy it.
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1 Answers
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Koji from JapanIn the passage (a) below, does the last sentence make sense?

It's not ideal. That is some loose, informal language, but it's not wrong. In what seems to be an academic piece, it is out of place. That "it" is the dummy it. It is like "it" in the saying "It's not the heat, it's the humidity."

Koji from Japan(b) Rathe
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