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Jackson6612 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

What is the purpose of using those dashes above?

1http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/it
2 used as subject of an impersonal verb that expresses a condition or action without reference to an agent <it is raining>
3 a used as anticipatory subject or object of a verb <it is necessary to repeat the whole thing> ; often used to shift emphasis to a part of a statement other than the subject <it was in this city that the treaty was signed>
b used with many verbs as a direct object with little or no meaning <footed it back to camp>
4 used to refer to an explicit or implicit state of affairs or circumstances <how is it going>
[M-W's Col. Dic.]

What is the purpose of using those dashes above? Would it make any difference without them?
  

Top answer

Hi, 1 2 — used as subject of an impersonal verb that expresses a condition or action without reference to an agent <it is raining> 3 a — used as anticipatory subject or object of a verb <it is necessary to repeat the whole thing> ; often used to shift emphasis to a part of a statement other than the subject <it was in this city that the treaty was signed> b — used with many verbs as a direct object with little or no meaning <footed it back to camp> 4 — used to refer to an explicit or implicit state of affairs or circumstances <how is it going> [M-W's Col. ] What is the purpose of using those dashes above? Would it make any difference without them?

  • Hi, 1 2 — used as subject of an impersonal verb that expresses a condition or action without reference to an agent <it is raining> 3 a — used as anticipatory subject or object of a verb <it is necessary to repeat the whole thing> ; often used to shift emphasis to a part of a statement other than the subject <it was in this city that the treaty was signed> b — used with many verbs as a direct object with little or no meaning <footed it back to camp> 4 — used to refer to an explicit or implicit state of affairs or circumstances <how is it going> [M-W's Col.
  • ] What is the purpose of using those dashes above?
  • Would it make any difference without them?
  • It's just a convention used to indicate that what is written is in point form, and that this is, eg, point '2'.
  • Sometimes the number '2' is followed by a period instead.
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1 Answers
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Hi,

1
2 — used as subject of an impersonal verb that expresses a condition or action without reference to an agent <it is raining>
3 a — used as anticipatory subject or object of a verb <it is necessary to repeat the whole thing> ; often used to shift emphasis to a part of a statement other than the subject <it was in this city that the treaty was

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