Questions tagged [it-its-itself]
For questions about the pronouns "it", "its", or "itself".
37
questions
0
votes
0
answers
40
views
Meaning of "it will take for granted that you always took it for granted"
I am reading William Empson's "Seven Types of Ambiguity", and I have difficulty with the following passage, especially with the part in bold and the preceding sentences.
A single word,
...
- 17
1
vote
0
answers
31
views
What's 'it' in the sentence 'it is worth it'? [duplicate]
Rebooting your career is definitely worth it.
Actually, my question is not specific to this sentence. I don't get the word it in the use of worth in general as in this one:
It is worth it.
If it ...
- 121
16
votes
8
answers
3k
views
Why is emphatic "Yes, I know THAT" okay, but not "Yes, I know IT"?
In the context of this ELL question asking about using pronoun "it" as an object, it struck me that whereas it's perfectly natural to place heavy stress for emphasis on the "...
- 137k
0
votes
3
answers
157
views
Meaning of 'That seems to be it' in context
Read the passage and answer the question below
John: Have you ever done any of these extramural courses before?
Amy: No don't think so although I did do something on psychodrama once but no it wasn't ...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
30
views
Indirect Question [grammar]
I was reviewing this article and had a question about some minor grammar issues.
The whole sentence is
"The current work attempts to solve this gap in CE knowledge by investigating how security ...
- 1
0
votes
3
answers
163
views
Explanation - "it" instead of "this"
I'm wondering why the word in the last sentence below must be "it" rather than "this":
And I would immediately say, “Stop talking! You shouldn't speak when
you're eating! Always ...
- 51
0
votes
0
answers
19
views
What the function of the pronoun"it" here, does it refer to the contractor because the author did not know precisely what the contractor's gender is? [duplicate]
To the extent that the Contractor believes it is entitled to additional payment (there can sometimes be a dispute as to what is meant by ‘additional’) then it is required to make a claim in accordance ...
- 21
3
votes
3
answers
181
views
What is the function of the first "it" in "it is worth it"?
Here is a sentence in which two instances of "it" appear in the same coordinate clause:
This job involves a lot of hard work but it is worth it.
Obviously, the second "it" refers ...
- 359
1
vote
1
answer
128
views
Preparatory it; not possible for complements
I was reading Practical English Usage, by Michael Swan and got into something that has got me deeply confused. It basically says that preparatory it can be used as a preparatory subject or object, but ...
- 125
1
vote
1
answer
111
views
Is the pronoun 'it' used correctly in this sentence?
I have come across a sentence in which the pronoun 'it' occurs but seems to have no antecedent, and I think it should be omitted:
A controlling idea: what the writer is going to focus on it in the ...
- 13
0
votes
2
answers
103
views
What does "it" represent in the following sentence?
I read the following sentence on the leading corporation in a corruption-infested country.
Its path to the top was strewn with secret deals, price fixing,
bribery, tax evasion and more, all of it ...
- 255
2
votes
1
answer
35
views
"it" as a true/logical subject or preparatory subject
I have a difficult time to analyse "it" as the true/logical subject or preparatory subject in a article, like this sentence:
In rejecting probability, and the larger area of mathematical ...
- 21
0
votes
0
answers
44
views
how explain awkward sentence structure to non-native english speaker
THis is the title of a medical paper. I'm trying to explain why to non-native english speaker that its awkward (to me anyway). Any suggestions?
Different measures for the cochlear parameters and its ...
- 19
0
votes
0
answers
41
views
it is necessary to put "it" after comma?
I am trying to write the next paragraph but I am not sure whether it is necessary to put "It was" or just " was" after a comma. Thank you in advance.
Information about efficiency and emission of ...
- 89
0
votes
0
answers
96
views
Its vs it's when "it" is the noun?
When used as pronoun, it's "its", but what if "it" is used as the word "it" itself, a noun?
For example:
"Its function is to substitute a neuter object."
vs.
"It's function is to substitute a ...
- 101
1
vote
1
answer
36
views
Does "it's ok to ..." count as a cleft construction?
I am wondering if "it's ok to..." (e.g. as in "it's ok for us to leave now") would count as an it-cleft construction. When I consider Quirk et al.'s (1985) A Comprehensive Grammar of the English ...
- 13
0
votes
2
answers
555
views
Which grammar rule (if any) applies to the phrase 'I like it when you smile.'
Why can we say 'I like it when you smile,' but not 'I like it how you talk, or 'I like it where you go.'?
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
221
views
whose job it was
In ancient Rome, when a victorious general paraded through the streets, legend has it that he was sometimes trailed by a servant whose job it was to repeat to him, "Memento mori".
I found this ...
- 27
0
votes
1
answer
69
views
"it" as object?
In a worksheet we had the statement "I love it here. Let's return next year." A student asked what "it" refers to and I'm not exactly sure myself. Is the "it" here a kind of dummy it?
- 182
0
votes
2
answers
203
views
"It is" as the beginning of paragraphs
Is it encouraged or discouraged to use "IT IS" at the very beginning of a paragraph in formal writing English?. For instance:
It is often argued that study art in school should be mandatory, since ...
- 89
1
vote
0
answers
29
views
Positioning two instances of "it" in a question, is one option more likely to be confusing, ambiguous, or mis-understood than the other?
I'm torn how to position the two instances of "it" in this question. I believe that both sentences are acceptable and convey the same meaning, but I'm not sure which is more likely to be ...
- 869
0
votes
2
answers
638
views
Can "individual" be referred to as "it"? [duplicate]
Can "individual" be referred to as "it"? Or only he/she/they?
-1
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Is "it's" or "its" possessive? [closed]
For a very long time now I've been using "it's" as the possessive form for "it". There have been some people that have said "its" is the possessive form, but I'm not sure if that's true. "It's" seems ...
3
votes
1
answer
108
views
What does "it" in "If it wasn't for Amber..." refer to?
If it wasn't for Amber he wouldn't be able to marry Claire.
Please, what does "it" in this sentence refer to?
- 31
0
votes
3
answers
908
views
Pronoun: what does it refer to here?
In the following sentence, what does the pronoun it refer to?
A differs from B in that it is....
I read before that a pronoun refers to the closest name (B in that sentence); however, here it ...
0
votes
1
answer
88
views
Using "It" in a Sentence [duplicate]
I have a question regarding using the word it in a sentence. My question is whether I am properly using the pronoun it in the text below:
Making mistakes is an expected part of life; it is ...
- 9
1
vote
1
answer
63
views
Deputy CIO or CIO Deputy
I saw everywhere Deputy CIO (Deputy Chief Information Officer),
but how do I prove it?
Could you advise me the source (with IT positions) I may use as a reference?
HR department uses CIO Deputy, but ...
- 13
0
votes
2
answers
123
views
Appropriate adjective for 'feature set'
Let's say I am comparing two software products. And one of them offers more features (functionality). What adjective would you use to describe the size of their feature sets?
First program has larger/...
- 123
0
votes
1
answer
115
views
It's embarrassing for her, having me for a brother [duplicate]
I found this sentence on a book. As I feel the part, 'having me for a brother' describes the pronoun, 'it', not 'she'. Shouldn't the sentence start with 'she'?
0
votes
3
answers
864
views
A term for an end-user's device other than "endpoint"?
In my organisation, the encryption software of choice is McAfee Endpoint.
In this multi-cultural multi-national company, using the word "endpoint" to refer to an end-user's device(s) is confusing to ...
0
votes
1
answer
421
views
What does "it" stand for in phrases such as "get/hold it together"?
Each time I encounter these turns of phrase, I wonder whether I'm quite grasping the meaning.
Edward Norton says in an interview that
the hardest part was getting it together
as he talks about ...
- 599
1
vote
2
answers
93
views
what does the second "it" refer and how to understand "should we so choose"?
We meet at a time of both of immense promise and great peril. It is entirely up to us whether we lift the world to new heights，or let it fall into a valley of disrepair. We have it in our power should ...
- 13
1
vote
2
answers
944
views
What does the phrase "something is red hot" mean?
Recently read when I read an IT paper, I encountered a phrase, "Red Hot". what does it mean?
Below is the full sentence :
The DevOps space is red hot, but as many enterprise are quiclky beginning ...
- 111
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is “kludge” a proper word to name a dirty hack in software development
There in software development, we sometimes use a solution, which is to prop the existing code up, not to fix the real cause of the problem. It might be called “dirty hack,” or “kludge.”
It’s wry and ...
1
vote
2
answers
150
views
Why does Mozilla Public License use "it" meaning "contributor"?
I'm used to "they" as a way to indicate a person resumptive (non-specific). Also, I'm used to the fact that "it" is used only for inanimate objects, when "contributor" is animate.
My only assumption ...
- 127
-2
votes
2
answers
126
views
"There, Rowboat has a propeller. Now I can use it." I feel that "it" refers to the propeller, but why? Am I wrong?
There, Rowboat has a propeller. Now I can use it.
In the above quotation, I feel that "it" refers to the propeller, but why? Am I wrong?
If Rowboat were a person, this'd be easy, but it's not; it'...
-1
votes
1
answer
129
views
What is the correct comparative placement of "more"?
When using comparative statements, does it have to be:
It is more that they were too afraid to fight than that they were
lacking skills.
or could it be like this:
It is that they ...
