331A Use 33.1B Form 312 Introductory there and it In this unit we Inok at the 11s@ of it and there as ‘empty’ subjects to introduce new information or the main content of a sentence. We can also use them to manipulate the Position of subjects, objects and clauses in sentences. This allows us to describe or Teport things in an indirect way and to create a more impersonal style often tound in formal English. (For information on the pronoun it » 27.1F; for the use of it to introduce cleft sentences » 34.1B) INTRODUCTORY THERE We use there as an ‘empty’ subject + is/are to introduce new information and/or to say that something exists or happens: If you're looking for a café: there's one opposite the station. {new information) [Fifty-one states exist in the USA.) There are fifty-one states in the USA. [Three murders nappen in the fim.| There are three murders In tne tm. {Is @ bank situated near here?| Is there a bank near here? We often use there is/are to introduce or describe a character or place, or to ‘set the scene’ when telling a story or joke: At the top of the hill there’s a small café with wonderful views over the bay. There’s an Englishman, an trishman and @ Scotsman who go into a bur ... @ There is/are is usually followed by an indefinite noun phrase, not a definite noun phrase (» 28.1A): X In the hotel lobby there is the cash machine. (definite noun phrase) V In the hotel lobby there is a cash machine. (indefinite noun phrase) But we can use there isfare with definite noun phrases when we are reminding someone of something we/they already know, or pointing something out: v Don't forget there’s althe cash machine in the lobby if you run out of money. (reminding somebody of something you/they know) v Look, there’s a/the cash machine, next to the porter’s desk. (pointing something out) We can use alll forms of be after there, including modal forms: Once upon a time there were three little bears There will be an interval of twenty minutes during the performance. There must have been a thousand applicants for the post. The fortt of be agrees wilt Lie complement: a There 1s only [one answer] to this question cs. There were [two ways] out of the building. © But in conversational English, we sometimes use there is with a plural complement: There's two ways we can do this.33.1C Special patterns 33.1D Words and expressions after there (+ be) 33.28 Use There + be can be followed by a noun + participle phrase (» 13.1, 13.2): There's a strange old man sitting in the corner. There are (wo scales of terperature used in science. @ when we are describing a single action we use a full relative clause: X In- 1755 there was an earthquake destroyed-much of Lisbon. V In 1755 there was an earthquake which destroyed much of Lisbon In formal English, verbs with future meaning, e.g. anticipate, expect, envisage, intend ( 5.2A), can be followed by there + to be/being: The organisers didn’t expect (there to be) quite such an overwhelming response. We don’t anticipate (there being) any resistance from the anti-hunting lobby. We commonly use there (+ be) with the following words and expressions: thora + be + quantifiers (any, some, Are there any mare issiios autstanding? much, many, several, etc. > 28.3A) There are several ways we can tackle this. there +be + indefinite pronouns __I've had a good look and there’s nothing to report. (somebody, nothing, etc. > 27.48) Isn't there somebody here who can help us? there + be + boundicertainlexpected/ If the government goes ahead there's sure to be likelylurelsuppozed | to be an outery from the minors. Hang on, there was supposed to be a television - in the room. there + be + problem/difficulty! X There won't be-any trouble to get back. trouble + -ing form v There won't be any trouble getting back there + uppeurthuppen/seem(s}itend/ There used to be a house at the end of the common. used + to be Researchers noticed that there tends to be a higher number of influenza cases in warm winters. there +a passive reporting verb ‘There are thought to be several other senior (e.g. is said to be, is thought to be) officers implicated in the cover-up. + an indefinite noun phrase (This is In Zaire alone, there are believed to be more than used to describe a general feeling a million sufferers of the disease. or belief.) (compare it» 3%.9C) In formal written English we can use Deep inside her there arose a desperate hope. there + ariselarrivelcomelemerge! At the crime scene there remained little in the enterfexist/followiliveloccurfremain’ way of physical eviaence. result/sit/stand/take place There follows a full list of our current terms and conditions of trading. INTRODUCTORY/IMPERSONAL /T We can use it as an ‘empty’ subject. This is a grammatical device to introduce or identify something later in the phrase. It is followed by a definite noun phrase (> 20.1). ‘Who's that?’ ‘It’s Alan.” Hello, it’s Steve here. Could | speak to Jane? ‘What's worrying you?’ ‘It's the children. It can refer to one or many things, but grammatically it is always singular: X le are-Alan-and Margaret at the door W It’s Alan and Margaret at the door. 313SS, We use it + be to introduce information about the following topics: weather/enviranment It'll he cold in Fdinburgh at this time of year. It was damp and foggy in London that autumn. time/dates It is eight o'clock in the morning. Thank goodness it’s Friday toaay. It’s so quiet and peaceful here. It was becoming increasingly dangerous. distance It’s quite a long way to the nearest town. 33.2B We use it before seems as if/though and looks as iffthough to describe impressions and Common probability: expressions I seems as if we've hnown each other for years. (This is my impression.) with i¢ It looks as though I’m going to fail the test. (I think it’s probable.) HRI, Telooks as though tm going total hetest "TS We can also use it as an ‘empty’ object after certain verbs to introduce a following Clause likethateliove + it + whenithat I hate it when people stare at me. clause (This is used to describe We love it when tho grandchildren como over. likes and dislikes.) would appreciate it + if clause | would appreciate it if you could fax your response (This is used to make a polite as. a matter of urgency. request.) owelleave it to somebody We owe it to him to try and find a resolution + infinitive clause We leave it to you to suggest a suitable date. thinkifindIconsider + it | find it intolerable that we have no recourse in law. + adjective/noun/preposition He thought it a pity that they hadn't contributed to phrase + that clause the fund. | consider it in your own best interests that wou leave immediately. 31433.2C Impersonal it 33.2D Uses of it in discourse We sometimes want to describe our attitudes, feelings and opinions without mentioning 2) ourselves directly. We can use it + be as an impersonal way to introduce these phrases. Ihis 1s less direct than sentences beginning with / thinkifeel/Delieve and allows us to present opinions as though they were impersonal general feelings or even objective facts. We also use this device in academic writing where there is a convention that ideas should be presented in an impersonal way. There are several patterns that we use: it + be + adjective + -ing form It was lovely meeting you at last. (We use this in informal English.) it + be + adjective + that clause It isn’t surprising that she left you. It is remarkable that so few of the patients suffered side effects. it + be + adjective + infinitive clause It’s wonderful to sit out here under the stars. It was possible to recognise regularities in the patterns of soil distribution it + verb or modal verb phrase (usually It has been shown that most of the patients Passive] + that clause improved noticeably. (We use this in formal written English.) It should be noted that the majority of the responses were positive. It + a passive reporting verb describes impersonal or general feelings. It also allows us to report someone's words without mentioning the speaker/s. We use a verb clause after the verb, not a noun phrase (compare » 33.1): It was said (that) he was innocent. It is believed (that) the rebels are about to attack the capital. If the subject of a sentence is a long clause we can use it as an ‘empty’ subject so that we can put the long subject at the end: It was hard to believe that he had behaved so appallingly. so appallingly was hard to believe.) This device also helps us put new information in the end focus position (» 36.1A, B). It really hurts me to be going away. (= To be going away really hurts me.) It can also be an ‘empty’ object (> 33.2A), anticipating a later clause. This allows us to combine several pieces of information into one sentence, again putting new information at the end: Wo leave it to the reader to appraciate what this will mean. (~The reader can appreciate what this will mean. We leave it to the reader to do this.) She thought it a pity/sad that he hadn’t joined in the festivities. (= He hadn't joined in the festivities. She thought that was a pity.) © We don’t usually use it as an ‘empty’ object when the main verb is not followed by an adjective ar hy a noun ar preposition phrase: X She thought it that he hadn't joined in the festivities. v She thought that he hadn't joined in the festivities, We also use /f to introduce cleft sentences (» 34.18) It isn't just his outlandish sense of humour that I'm complaining about. That he had behaved 315316 Practice 1 EE Rewrite the following sentences using there. these exercises is on page 370. 0 Such a strong reaction was not anticipated by the protestors. soon he protestors did. wot. expect. there to be suck a. ste 00 Getting a visa won't be difficult. There. wont be any difficulty getting a.vism, 1 More tat 4 tillion species of insects exist in the world. 2 Agrandiather clock was ticking in the background. 3 At Hiroshima in 1945 an event happened which shook the whole world. 4 Two further suspects are thought to be under arrest, 5 They are bound to react badly to the news. 6 A statement by the Prime Minister now follaws 7 Present in the compound were two forms of amino acid 8 Does Osaka have an underground railway? 9 A massive sell-off of high-tech shares is likely in the next few days, 10 From the middle of tie forest emerged a strarge huuded figure. 11 In this case, securing a conviction should be no trouble. 12 Is nobody here able to help us? 13 Illustrated in our brochure are ten new holiday destinations. 14 Do you have a buffet car on the train? 15 In this bad weather a poor turnout for the election is certain 16 Hanging over the bed was @ beautiful antique tapestry. 17 People think at least two leading politicians are involved in the scandal, 18 We don't envisage any adverse reaction from viewers,2 Ee i ‘h paragraph with This text can be improved by rewriting one sentence from eac! impersonal/introductory it. Underline the sentences that can be improved and rewrite them. The first one has been done as an example. The Beach by Alex Garland Now a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprin. People say that somewhere in the tre vical waters of Asia there is a pertect beach on an uninhabited island, Rich in animal and plant life, surrounded by virgin Jungle and watered by sweet underground springs, the beach could be the setting for an idyllic and easy life. The Beach's the story of a yonng man who yearne for sesks out and eventually nds just such 4 place. But to discover that far from being the source of contentment and inner fulfilment that he expects, the beach turns out to be a place of savage violence, terror and death, comes a8 a shock, Alex Garland takes the reader on an exotic journey from the steaming tourist-packed dives of the Khao San Road in Bangkok to the drug-infested islands of the remote seas around ‘Thailand. Not to be impressed by the author's skill in describing the unfamiliar oriental locations and his ability to empathize with the obeecsions of today’s youn luckpacking ‘new-age’ travellers is difficult. Taking in illegal drug plantations, memories of the Vietnam wat, cexuel jealousy, shark infested waters, the psychological dynamics of communal living and the clash of cultures, Garland spins a tale which both seduces and shocks the reader. What gives the novel its Inaunting sense of unease and horror is the author's unique blend of these disparate elements. Tes a thriller with all the traditional ingredients, an exotic location, a central mystery, good versus evil, aud dungers around every comer. There isa strong sense of good and evil in the book, bur to decide who is right and who is wrong Garland leaves to the reader. There are few moral certainties in this exotic corner of the warld Events unfold at great speed, and be warmed, to put this book down once you have started it is impossible. With an international cast of well-observed characters Garland creates a nail- biting narrative that keeps the reader hooked until the final bloody climax, Hts saud that someshere, in the tropical waters of Asia there.ts a perfect beach on an wurhabited 31735 3 Ce 318 For each of the sentences below, write a new sentence as si le in meaning to the original sentence, but using a form of it or there and the word given. This word must not be altered in any way. The exercise begins with an example (0). 0 I think Steve might win the race. ‘though At looks as though: Steve. wight wit the race,,.. 1 Such an overwhelming demand far tickets wasn’t anticipated by the organisers. being 2. She may well marry him seems 3 People think many other politicians are involved in the scandal thought 4 I would like you to send me your up-to-date retail price list. appreciate 5 Fifty students appiled for the scholarship. applicants 6 They say he hates publicity. said 7 We're not surprised that their children are so badly behaved surprising 8 In this paper we will demonstrate that DNA strands can be replicated. demonstrated .. 9 We are selling twelve detached houses with double garages on this estate sale 10 To be nominated for thie award makee me feel greatly honoured honour 6 Eight of these short extracts from conversations at a museum would be improved with the use of it or there. Two of the extracts do not need to be changed. Tick (v) these two extracts, then rewrite the others. 1 pave How far’s the café from here? cule The distance isn’t far; you'll find it at the other end of the Egyptian Gallery. 2 GUIDE Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Gutenburg Bible, People believe this is the first book to be printed in Europe. 5 sack Isn't this the head of Queen Nefertit!? mary Yes. She was the aunt of Tutankhamun 4 mark Do you have many hnipressiunist paintings here? cule Yes, more than thirty examples hang in the East wing. 5 sack What an amazing statue mary That Rodin produced such a superb piece of work all by himself is hard to believe. 6 pave This fifteenth-century portrait looke brand new! sue Yes, the impression is that the painting has been rather over-enthusiastically restored.7 cuine On your left you will see a fine example of late Renaissance sculpture. 8 sack You know Van Gogh never sold a single painting. mary I'm really surprised that people didn’t appreciate his genius during his lifetime. 9 Dave We've been here two hours and we're not even halfway round the museum. sue — | know; but to see everything in one trip is impossible. 10 kari Which one’s the Titian, Jane? JANE Ihe litian is in that place, next to the sculpture. 5 The words it or there are missing from eleven of these sentences. Tick () the sentences which are correct and rewrite the others it or there in the correct place. 1 She found strange that he'd never heard of such a famous historical character. 2 Was really such a long wait between trains? 5 We always have lots of visitors but tend to be more in the surmimer moritis. 4 Rarely were such extreme methods required. 5 The director leaves to the viewer to decide who is guilty and who is innocent 6 They assured us that would be no trouble getting a refund if the goods were faulty. 7 It wasn't their behaviour that annoyed me, but their attitude. 6 You know really gets on my nerves when she talks like that. 9 Commonly believed myths are not necessarily true. 10 What's incredible is that might have been so many more fatalities. 11 [find impossible to conceive that someone with his track record would be so careless. 12 In 1666 was a tire which destroyed a large part of London. 13 We would appreciate if you submitted your estimate to our head office. 14 Getting to the airport on time is the least of our worries. 15 Grandpa loves when the children ask for his advice. 319