§ Some Uses of "It"

現在介紹 "It" 這個單詞的某些用法。 

1. Impersonal "It" ﹝非人稱的 "It"﹞

  "It" 除了可以用來表示具體的事物外，還可以用來表示天氣、
  天色、時間、距離以及一些模糊、籠統的情況。譯為中文時，
  往往不用譯出。

(a) 表示「天氣」、「天色」

例如：

  It is very cold today.﹝今天很冷。﹞

  It is rather cold now.﹝現在有點兒冷。﹞

  How dark it is! ﹝很黑啊！﹞

(b) 表示「時間」、「日期」

例如：

  It is two o'clock.﹝現在兩點鐘。﹞

  It is five years since I saw you last.
  ﹝自上次見你至今已五年了。﹞

  It is a month to Chinese New Year's day.
  ﹝距農曆元旦還有一個月。﹞

(c) 表示「距離」、「長度」

例如：

  It is five miles to the school.﹝離學校還有五哩。﹞

  It is only a short way now.﹝現在沒多遠了。﹞

  Is it very far from here to the station? 
  ﹝從這裡到車站很遠嗎？﹞

(d) 表示「模糊、籠統的情況」

例如：

  That is it! ﹝對啦！﹞

  Now you will catch it! ﹝現在你倒霉了！﹞

  It cannot be helped.﹝沒有辦法了。﹞

2. Expletive "It" ﹝填補的 "It"﹞

  這種 "It" 作為句子中的「形式主語」或「形式賓語」，
  代表後面的「真正主語」或「真正賓語」。

例如：

  It is dangerous to play with fire.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "to play with fire" (Infinitive Phrase)。

  It is childish to say such things.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "to say such things" (Infinitive Phrase)。

  It is difficult to make a decision without knowing all 
  the facts.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "to make a decision without knowing all 
    the facts" (Infinitive Phrase)。

  It is so nice sitting here with you.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "sitting here with you" (Gerund Phrase)。

  It is not worthwhile losing your temper.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "losing your temper" (Gerund Phrase)。

  It is no good talking to him.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "talking to him" (Gerund Phrase)。

  It is strange that you did such a thing.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "that you did such a thing" (Noun Clause)。

  Is it possible that she will come here tomorrow?

  * "It" 代表後面的 "that she will come here tomorrow" (Noun Clause)。

  It is not clear who is the oldest of the three.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "who is the oldest of the three" (Noun Clause)。

  We think it dangerous to play with fire.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "to play with fire" (Infinitive Phrase)。

  We consider it useless learning a theory without practice.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "learning a theory without practice"(Gerund Phrase)。

  I think it a pity that he did not study hard.

  * "It" 代表後面的 "that he did not study hard" (Noun Clause)。

3. Emphatic "It" ﹝增勢的 "It"﹞

  這種 "It" 可強調句子中的某些成份。

例如：

  I saw your teacher yesterday.

(a) 強調賓語 "your teacher"

  It was your teacher that I saw yesterday.

(b) 強調主語 "I"

  It was I that saw your teacher yesterday.

(c) 強調副詞 "yesterday"

  It was yesterday that I saw your teacher.

  I am in power.﹝我是當權的。﹞

  若強調「我」，可寫成：

  It is I that am in power.

  * "that" 後的動詞以主語補語作準，而不以主語作準。

  Shower and dew make the grass grow.
         
  若強調「陣雨和露珠」，可寫成：
  
  It is shower and dew that make the grass grow.

練習

翻譯：

1. 你整天留在屋內，因此你不知道今天有雲。
2. 昨天他探訪我時，是二時三十分。
3. 因為天漸黑了，我希望快完成它。
4. 市場距離你工作的地方五哩嗎？
5. 他明天往馬來西亞購買樹膠是不真確的。
6. 我表弟考試及格是幸運的。
7. 晨早在花間散步是很愉快的。
8. 盡力而為是我的責任。
9. 已教約翰英文五年的人正是我弟的老師。
10. 我昨天正於此買了一本書。