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NL888 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
What does "it" refer to here?
It seems that "it" here refers to "it is hard for patients with this (depression) symptom to imagine the optimistic results of an action." But it is not the equivalent of "it."
Context:
Clinicians refer to this slowing down of motivation in depressed patients as "psychomotor retardation." According to Deisseroth, who is also a practicing psychiatrist, patients may experience this symptom mentally, finding it hard to envision the positive results of an action, or, he said, they may feel physically heavy, like their limbs just do not want to move.
"This is one of the most debilitating aspects of depression, and motivation to take action is something that we can model in animals. That's the exciting opportunity for us as researchers," said Deisseroth, who also holds the D.H. Chen Professorship.
Context:
Clinicians refer to this slowing down of motivation in depressed patients as "psychomotor retardation." According to Deisseroth, who is also a practicing psychiatrist, patients may experience this symptom mentally, finding it hard to envision the positive results of an action, or, he said, they may feel physically heavy, like their limbs just do not want to move.
"This is one of the most debilitating aspects of depression, and motivation to take action is something that we can model in animals. That's the exciting opportunity for us as researchers," said Deisseroth, who also holds the D.H. Chen Professorship.
Top answer
It has no antecedent; it is merely a dummy.
- It has no antecedent; it is merely a dummy.
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5 Answers
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Hi,
. . . patients may experience this symptom mentally, finding it hard to envision the positive results of an action . . .
It refers to to envision the positive results of an action.
The sentence could be rewritten as
. . . patients may experience this symptom mentally, finding it hard to envision the positive results of an action . . .
It refers to to envision the positive results of an action.
The sentence could be rewritten as
00
They’re just placeholders, Clive. They don’t refer to anything, as anaphoric pronouns do.
?To make a mistake is easy to make a mistake.
?To make a mistake is easy to make a mistake.
00
Hi,
. . . patients may experience this symptom mentally, finding it hard to envision the positive results of an action . . .
It refers to to envision the positive results of an action.
The sentence could be rewritten as
. . . patients may experience this symptom mentally, finding it hard to envision the positive results of an action . . .
It refers to to envision the positive results of an action.
The sentence could be rewritten as
00
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