在中学英语教材中(人教版),不论用于口语还是书面语,it始终是一个比较活跃的词。多年来,中考也从不同角度对它进行了测试,而且不断地在增加考查的难度。本文拟结合it的主要用法,多角度对其使用场合加以分析归纳。

　　一、用作代词,常用来指代无生命的事物。如:

　　The chair looks rather hard, but in fact it is very comfortable to sit on. 这把椅子看上去很硬,但事实上坐在上面很舒服。

　　My pen is rather old, but it's all right for me to write with.我的钢笔很旧了,但是我用来写字却很好用。

　　二、用来指代婴幼儿或身份、性别、年龄不明的人。如:

　　The baby was so lovely that I couldn't help kissing it. 这个婴儿真可爱,我禁不住吻了它。

　　There was a knock at the door. “Who is it?” asked Mother.有人敲门。母亲问道:“是谁呀?”

　　三、可以指代气候、天气、温度、时间、地点、距离等。如:

　　It is very warm and wet in South

　　China these days. 这些日子华南很温暖且湿润。

　　It will be three years before his mother returns from abroad. 要过三年他的妈妈才从国外回来。

　　It's two miles to the nearest post

　　office from here. 这里离最近的邮局有两英里。

　　四、作形式主语:当动词不定式、动名词或从句作主语时,通常把它们放在谓语动词之后,而用 it作形式主语。这种句型结构是:It + be + adj.(n.) + for(of) +sb. + to do sth.(that-clause). 如:

　　It is no use crying over spilt milk. 对着已洒的牛奶哭泣是没有用处的。

　　It is a pity that you didn't read the book. 很遗憾你没读过这本书。

　　In fact it is a hard job for the police to keep order in an important football match. 事实上,在重要的足球赛上警察维持秩序是一项艰苦的工作。

　　五、作形式宾语:当复合宾语中的宾语为不定式、动名词、宾语从句时,往往把宾语放在它的补足语之后,而用it作形式宾语,放在宾语补足语之前。这类动词主要有find, make, feel, consider等,其句型结构为:S + V + adj.(n.) + (for sb.) + to do sth. (that-clause). 如:

　　Everyone considered it most dangerous that he climbed the hill alone. 每个人都认为让他自己去爬山是很危险的。

　　I found it enjoyable to work there with you. 我发现在那里和你一起工作很愉快。

　　He made it clear that he didn't want to speak to me. 他表明他不想和我说话。

　　六、用于强调结构中:强调句是由普通陈述句转换来的。通过这种结构可以强调除谓语动词以外的大多数句子成分。它的句型结构是:It + be+被强调部分+that- / who-clause. 如:

　　It is Prof. Lin who teaches us

　　English. 是林教授教我们英语。

　　It was a handbag that John gave Mary at Christmas.在圣诞节约翰给Mary的礼物是一个手提包。

　　It was when she was about to go to bed that the telephone rang. 就在她要上床睡觉的时候电话铃响了。

　　It was because it raised so many difficult questions that the book took a long time to come out. 正是因为这本书涉及了这么多的问题,所以要过很长时间才能出版。

　　It was not until his father came in that the boy began to prepare his lessons.直到他的父亲回来,这个男孩才开始准备功课。

　　七、用于下列常见的句型中:

　　1. It seems / happens / appears (to sb.)+ that-clause. 好象…… 如:

　　It seems that it's more difficult for women to get to the top of a company. 妇女走上公司的高层好像更困难。

　　It happened that he was very busy that evening. 碰巧那天晚上他很忙。

　　2. It is reported / said / thought / hoped / believed / + that-clause.据报道/据说/人们认为/人们希望/人们相信…… 如:

　　It is said that the news had reached every part of the world. 据说这个消息传到了世界的每个角落。

　　3. It's (just) like sb. to do sth. 某人(恰好)就是这个样子……

　　It's just like her to think of others

　　before thinking of herself. 她就是这个样子,总是先人后己。

　　It's not like him to leave the work to others. 他不是把工作留给别人的那种人。

　　4. Does it matter + if-clause? ……要紧吗?

　　It doesn't matter (much)+ whether / if-clause. ……没有(多大)关系/都一样。如:

　　Does it matter if an engineer is a man or a woman?工程师是男的还是女的有关系吗?

　　5. It looks / seems as if + clause. 看上去好像…… 如:

　　It seems as if they had never seen each other before. 看上去他们好像从没见过。

　　It looks as if it's going to rain.看上去天要下雨。

　　6. It is (high) time for sth.

　　It is (high) time for sb. to do sth.

　　It is (high) time + that-clause.如:

　　I'm afraid it's for me to go to school. 恐怕我该上学了。

　　It's high time that the boy should be sent to school. 早该把小男孩送去上学了。

　　(文/许兰妹；英语辅导报初中教师版04~05学年第07期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)