LoginDummy Pronouns for intermediate learners
Dummy pronouns function grammatically the same as other pronouns, except they do not refer to a person or thing like normal pronouns do.
What Are Dummy Pronouns?
How to Use Them
These dummy pronouns perform different functions in English grammar. Let us explore them.
It
Dummy pronoun 'it' can be used to:
- Talk about the weather
- Talk about date and time
- Talk about distance
Talking About the Weather
When discussing weather conditions, 'it' is commonly used as a dummy pronoun. It is important to remember that 'it' is functioning as the subject in these sentences, and without it, the sentence would be incomplete. Take a look at the examples below:
Is
I think
As you can see, 'it' is used to talk about the weather condition.
Talking About Date and Time
In order to refer to a specific date or time, we can use 'it' as a dummy pronoun. Take a look at the examples below:
Talking About Distance
Sometimes 'it' can function as a dummy pronoun to describe the distance between two points. Study the following examples:
How far is
As you can see, the sentence will be incomplete if we remove 'it'.
Tip!
Another use of 'it' as a dummy pronoun is to show emphasis. To place emphasis on a particular element in a sentence, we can use this dummy pronoun. Pay attention to the following examples:
There
'There' is another dummy pronoun that is used to show the existence of someone or something. It has no specific functions and adds no meaning to the sentences. We can use it:
- To talk about time and place
- To talk about number and amount
Talking About Time and Place
In English, we can use 'there' to talk about a specific time or place. Look at the examples below:
Here, the sentence is about the location of an event.
Warning!
Keep in mind that 'there' can also function as an adverb, which is distinct from its usage as a dummy pronoun.
As you can see, the sentence was 'you are there' which was changed for more emphasis.
Talking About Number and Amount
'There' can also be used to talk about the number or amount of something. Look at the following examples:
Warning!
It is important to remember that the verb should agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject. Look at the following examples:
There are is seven dogs….)
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