高中英语语法详解（讲义）chapter 12 it 的用法
■一、用作人称代词
■二、用作非人称代词
■三、用作指示代词
■四、情景的it
■五、it用在习语中
■六、用作先行词
■七、it构成强调句型
it 在英语中是个很重要的词，它可用作人称代词、非人称代词、
指示代词和先行词，另外还可用来构成习语以及用于强调句型中。
一、用作人称代词
1．可用来代替无生命的事物，或前面、后面谈到的事物或情
况。例如：
What is that?— It is an electronic computer.那是什么？——它是电
子计算机。
Aluminium looks heavy but actually it is very light.铝看样子很重，
但实际上很轻。
This plan is without controversy the best.We must make a careful
study of it.毫无疑问这个计划是最好的，我们必须认真研究它。
It occurred in 1960's.这事发生在二十世纪六十年代。
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will notovercome it.（Bush）光明在黑暗中闪烁，黑暗吞没不了它。
Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.（B.Franklin）财富
并不是属于拥有它的人，而是属于享用它的人。
In this world there are only two tragedies, One is not getting what one
wants, and the other is getting it.（Oscar Wilde）世间只有两个悲剧：
一个是得不到自己想要的东西，另一个是得到了自己想要的东西。
2．有时可指不明确的人、一群人或团体，也可指幼儿或婴儿。
例如：
I saw a shadow more quickly across the room. It was the thief.我看见
一个影子飞快地穿过房间，原来是个小偷。
Rousing cheers were sent up for the Women's Volleyball Team.It has
just won the world championship.响起了为女子排球队喝彩的欢呼声。
这个队夺得了世界冠军。
—How about your child?—It is quite well.——你的小孩怎样？
——他很好。
What a beautiful baby — is it a girl?好漂亮的婴儿——是个女孩
吗？
3．指动植物或生物体的一部分。例如：
There is a tree in front of my house.It is ten meters high.我的屋子前
面有一棵树。它有十米高。
The skin is our outermost covering.We must not tamper with it.皮肤
是我们的最外层覆盖物，我们决不可随便损害它。二、用作非人称代词
it 用作句子的主语，无具体意义，用于表示一般情况或表示时
间、季节、天气、距离、量度等的句子中。
1．指一般情况、环境或状况。例如：
It is always bustling inside a tiny atom.小小的原子里一直热闹得
很。
It is all pitch dark in the depth of the sea, yet life abounds there just as
well.深海里一片漆黑，可是生物照样生长。
It was very quiet at the moment.这时一片寂静。
2．指天气、气候、明暗等自然现象。例如：
It was very hot in the church, and getting late now. （ Langston
Hughes）教堂里非常闷热，时间也不早了。
It was a foggy day when little Oliver came into the world.小奥列弗来
到人间的那天，雾色迷蒙。
It never rains but pours.不雨则已，一雨倾盆。
It's rather windy today.今天风很大。
It snowed heavily last night.昨晚下大雪。
Before it was quite dark I heard footsteps and a voice, a woman's
voice.天色还没断黑，我便听见了脚步声和说话声，是一个女人的
声音。
It is always darkest just before the day dawneth.（T.Fuller）黎明前
总是最黑暗的。3．指时间、季节。例如：
It was a miserable scene and a miserable hour.这是一个凄凉的地
方、一个难熬的时刻。
It was about midnight.大约是午夜。
It's 6 o'clock.现在是六点钟。
For those who lost loved ones, it's been a year of sorrow, of empty
places…（Bush）对那些失去亲人的人们来说，这是悲痛的一年，空
寂的一年……
It was early spring/mid-summer/late autumn.这是早春／仲夏／深
秋。
4．指距离。例如：
It is only a few steps to the bank.到银行只有几步路。
It is a long way from here.从这里去有很长的路。
Oh, it's quite near.It is only 3 miles, I think.噢，相当近呀。我想，
只有三英里。
It's within a stone's throw.有一箭之遥。
This house is very high, and it is a long way from the ground floor to
the top.这所房子很高，从一楼走到顶层有很长一段路。
5．指量度。例如：
It is eight kilograms in weight.重量为8千克。
It is five grams in mass.质量为5克。
It is 0.04 milligrams per millilitre in concentration.浓度为每毫升0.04毫克。
It is sixty kilometers per hour in velocity.速度为每小时60千米。
It was then five degrees below zero.当时温度是零下五度。
It is one hundred and twenty cubic meters in volume.体积为 120 立
方米。
It is sixteen square centimeters in area.面积为16平方厘米。
It is five HK dollars in price.价格是港币5元。
6．在“It＋不及物动词＋that 从句”句型中，it 是非人称代词，
在句中作主语，从句是表语从句。常见的不及物动词有 seem, appear,
happen, chance, look, occur, strike, come about, turn out等。例如：
It seemed to me that the question was beside the point.
（W.Maugham）在我看来，这个问题跟我们的谈话毫不相干。
It happened that there was a telephone booth nearby.碰巧附近有个公
用电话亭。
It chanced that I saw it with my own eyes.我碰巧亲眼看见了。
It appears that she is an experienced teacher.看样子她像是个有经验
的教师。
Thus it came about that the year 1849 saw a great war in Hungary.就
这样1849年在匈牙利发生了一场战争。
【注】 有的语法学者把这种句型中的it视为形式主语，that引导
的从句是主语从句。
三、用作指示代词起着指示代词this和that的作用。
1．指做某个动作的人或事物。例如：
Oh, it's you.I haven't seen you for a long time.啊，是你呀。我很久
没有看到你了。
It's the wind shaking the window.是风刮得窗户响。
2．指某种情况。例如：
It is a very good translation.这是很好的翻译。
It must be the Browns coming back.准是布朗一家回来了。
It's like a bad dream.（Michael Bowker）这真像一场噩梦。
四、情景的it
有时，it 要从上下文或当时的情景来确定，这种 it 也称为非确指
的it。这时，it常用作宾语。例如：
How's it going with you?你近况如何？
Now you are in for it.你现在可倒霉了。
Take it easy.不要着急。
Does it itch?这儿痒吗？
We are not too proud to admit it when we are in the wrong.我们不会
骄傲得错了也不承认。
You saw how well he took it when you praised his speech.你看到
了，你赞扬他的讲话时他多么高兴。
We had a nice time of it.我们玩得很好。
Did he really strike her? I call it going too far.他真的打了她？我觉得那太不像话了。
He did look sad, come to think of it.他的确看着伤心，你想想吧。
She looked restless and anxious.He attributed it to her encounter with
her father the day before.她看样子烦躁，心神不定。他把这归因于前
一天她和她父亲的不期而遇。
五、it用在习语中
1．it 用于某些动词（短语）之后，词义含糊，构成习语。多半
出现在口语中和非正式文体中。常用的有：make it 办成功，make it
do 凑合，cab it 乘车，come it 尽自己的分内事，come it strong 做得
过分，beat it走、滚，hop it走开，chuck it停止，go it alone单枪 匹
马地干，brave it out 拼命干到底，have it out 讲个明白，beat it up 狂
欢，hang it岂有此理、见鬼，catch it挨骂、受罚，hand it out痛打、
严罚，put it mildly 毫不夸张地说，let sb have it 让某人吃苦头，How
comes it？这是怎么搞的？take it out of sb。拿某人出气。例如：
How are they hitting it off these days？他们现在相处得怎样？
You will catch it for breaking the glasses？你会因为打破眼镜而受
到责备。
He kept bothering me, so I told him to beat it.他不断地打搅我，因
此我叫他走开。
The driver is going it.司机在拼命地开快车。
Hang it all, we can't wait all day for him.该死，我们总不能等他一
整天呀。We were all awakened at 1：30 a.m.，and told to beat it to the air
station.凌晨一点半钟我们都被叫醒，通知我们立刻到航空站去。
The train left five minutes ago, you've had it, I'm afraid.火车五分钟
前开走了，我怕你是赶不上火车了。
2．it用于某些介词之后，构成习语。it作介词宾语，但无具体意
义。常见的有：be hard put to it 在艰难之中，be on it 精于某事，
make a day of it 干了一天，make out of it 使它成功，be in for it 只有
硬着头皮干下去，make a clean breast of it坦白承认。例如：
We have to step on it, or we'll never get there.我们得赶快，否则，
我们永远到达不了那里。
Oh, come off it, you know no more than I.啊，算了吧，你知道的并
不比我多。
That's the worst of it.那是最糟糕的了。
Let's make a night of it.让我们痛饮一夜吧。
The terrorist was caught in the act of exploding the building and is
now in for it.这个恐怖分子炸建筑物时被抓住了，现在他受到了应有
的惩罚。
Jack had a hard time of it.杰克遭受了苦难。
He was hard put to it to earn a living for his family.他很难谋生赡养
自己的家庭。
There seemed nothing for it but to travel the 80 miles.别无办法，只
好再走80英里。3．it 用在一些动词（尤其是一些由名词转化来的动词）后，作
同源宾语。通常用于非正式文体中。常见的有：dog it 敷衍了事，
lord it/king it称王称霸、对……发号施令，hotel it投宿旅馆。例如：
The boy kinged it over all the other kids in the neighborhood.这个男
孩对邻里的儿童发号施令。
Any man must not lord it over others.任何人都不可以在别人头上称
王称霸。
Who's to bill it？谁来付钱呢？
As there was no bus running to the village, we had to foot it.由于没
有公共汽车去这个村，我们只好步行去。
There was nothing for it but to fight it out.别无出路，只有打到底。
From Guangzhou we railroaded it to Hongkong.我们乘火车从广州
去香港。
Lord Angelo dukes it well.安吉洛勋爵扮演公爵十分出色。
We therefore decided that we would sleep out on fine night; and hotel
it, and inn it and pub it…when it was wet.因此我们决定，如果晚上天
气好，我们就在外面露宿。当天气潮湿时，我们就住宾馆，住客
栈，住小旅社。
六、用作先行词
1．作形式主语。
it 没有具体的意义，用来代替句中的真正主语；该真正主语是动
词不定式（短语）、动名词（短语）或从句。例如：It is easy to learn English, but it is difficult to attain perfection in it.
【真正主语是不定式短语】 英语易学难精。
Caroline has known me all my life.It was my privilege to see her out
of hers.（W.Faulkner）卡罗琳看着我出生和长大，能参加她的葬礼是
我的荣幸。
It's very kind of you to come to see me.【真正主语是不定式复合结
构】 你来看我，我很感激。
Sometimes it was hard for her to remember how she had looked then,
twenty-two years ago.有时，她很难回忆起自己二十二年前长得什么
样。
It is getting harder every day for a lazy man to get a living.懒汉谋生
越来越困难了。
It is no good saying without doing.【真正主语是动名词短语】 说
而不做是无用的。
It's still a mystery when, where and by whom she was kidnapped.她
是何时何地被什么人绑架的，这仍是个谜。
2．作形式宾语。
当宾语是不定式（短语）、动名词（短语）或从句，并且有宾语
补语时，常用 it 代替宾语，而把宾语置于宾语补语之后。这时 it 称
为形式宾语。例如：
We consider it impossible to study a language well without practice.
【真正宾语是不定式短语】 我们认为要学好一门语言而不实践是不可能的。
I feel it necessary to verify the theory from various angles.我觉得必
须从不同角度来证实这个理论。
I don't think it wise for him to choose such a difficult subject.【真正
宾语是不定式复合结构】 我认为他选择这样困难的学科是不明智
的。
I think it no good drinking too much.【真正宾语是动名词短语】
我认为喝酒太多没好处。
They kept it quiet that he was dead.对于他的死他们保密。
Don't take it for granted that they will take it lying down.别想当然地
认为他们会善罢甘休。
某些及物动词如 have, take 等的后面，不能紧接 that 引导的从句
作宾语，要用it作形式宾语。例如：
Shakespeare has it that all the world is a stage.莎士比亚说，整个世
界是个大舞台。
I take it you have been out.我想你出去过了。
May I take it that you will write me a letter?我可以相信你会给我写
信吗？
I owe it to you that I am still alive.我现在仍然活着要感谢你。
在某些短语动词如 count on, depend (up) on, insist on, rely on, see
to中，it可用在介词之后，引出一个宾语从句。例如：
See to it that you are here punctually tomorrow morning.你明天上午务必准时到这里。
We will answer for it that all the products will be up to the mark.我们
保证产品将全部合格。
You may rely on it that we won't let you down.你可以相信，我们是
不会让你失望的。
I do insist upon it that you hold your tongue.我坚决要求你别说话。
七、it构成强调句型
英语中要强调主语、宾语、状语，经常用一种强调句型的固定结
构：It is/was＋所强调的成分（主语、宾语、状语）+ that (who,
which, whom)….被强调的部分放在 that 的前面，而剩余部分原封不
动地放在 that 的后面；译作“正是”或“是”。这种句型结构特
殊，把一个句子分为两段，每段都有主谓结构，所以也叫做分裂
句。例如：
It is difference of opinion that makes horse races.（Mark Twain）
（强调主语）赛马之所以能够举行，就是由于人们有不同的想法。
It is the unexpected that always happens.意外事情常发生。
It was she had been wrong.正是她错了。
It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.（Aesopos）仅靠美
丽的羽毛成不了美丽的鸟。
My father often said it was only the hardheaded thriftiness of my
grandmother that kept the wolf at bay.（Alexander Bloch）父亲常说若
不是祖母精明能干，克勤克俭，一家人非挨饿不可。I'm sixty-five now, and it's been thirteen years ago today that we met
when I came up your lane looking for directions.我现在已六十五岁，我
们相逢在十三年前的今日当我进入你的小巷问路之时。
It was from her mouth that came the sound of terrible sadness.悲伤凄
楚的哭声正是从她嘴里发出来的。
示例：I met your manager in the office yesterday.
昨天我在办公室遇见了你的经理。
这句可用强调结构来强调句中的主语、宾语和状语：
（a）It was I that/who met your manager in the office yesterday.（强
调主语）是我昨天在办公室遇见了你的经理。
（b）It was your manager that/whom I met in the office yesterday.
（强调宾语）昨天我在办公室遇到的正是你的经理。
（c）It was in the office that I met your manager yesterday.（强调地
点状语）昨天我是在办公室遇见了你的经理。
（d）It was yesterday that I met your manager in the office.（强调
时间状语）是昨天我在办公室遇见了你的经理。
【注】
1．被强调的主语和宾语指人时，也可以分别用 who 和 whom 来
代替 that，如（a）中的 that 可改为 who；（b）中的 that 可改为
whom。又如：
So it was a surprise to find that he remained standing, and that it was
he who made a sign to the waiter.所以，看到他仍然站着，是他向侍者做了个手势时，我就感到奇怪。
2．指事物时，可以用 which代替that。如下面例子中的 that均可
改为which。例如：
It was a key that I found in his pocket.我在他口袋里找到的是一把
钥匙。
It was a bouquet of roses that was left to us.留下给我们的是一束玫
瑰花。
3．如果被强调的是状语，只能用 that，不能用 when 或 where。
如上述（c）中的 that 不能用 where 代替；（d）中的 that 不能用
when代替。又如：
It was during his student days that he cultivated the acquaintance of
the scientist.正是他读书的年代他结识了这个科学家。
It is in this sphere that long experience is really fruitful, and that the
wisdom born of experience can be used without becoming a burden.
（Bertrand Russell）正是在这些活动中，长期的经验能结出硕果，
也正是在这些活动中，经验所赋予你的智慧才有用武之地，而不成
为负担。
在口语中，who, that等词可以省略。例如：
It was the President himself (who) spoke to me.正是总统亲自跟我谈
了话。
It is love (that) makes the world go round.正是爱情才使得世界运
转。但是被强调的人称代词如果是宾格，并且 who或that在从句中又
作主语时，则who或that不能省去。例如：
It is me who needs help.需要帮助的是我。
It wasn't us who invented it.发明（它）的并不是我们。
被强调的部分也可能是从句，即主语从句、宾语从句、状语从
句。例如：
It is what he said that is very important.（强调主语从句）正是他说
的话是非常重要的。
It was what he had said that I failed to recall.（强调宾语从句）正是
他所说的话我记不起来了。
It was where we now stand that we parted.（强调状语从句）我们正
是在我们现在站着的地方分手的。
【注】 可以强调时间、地点、原因（由 since 或 as 引导的原因
状语从句例外）、方式等多种状语成分，但不能强调让步状语从句
或对比分句。例如，不可以说：
It was although it was raining that he went out.
It was whereas David was a Londoner that Peter was a Parisian.
也可以强调宾语补语。例如：
It is chairman of the Committee that they elected him.他们选举他当
委员会主席。
It is green that they have painted the wall.他们粉刷墙壁是绿色。
表语不可以强调。例如，不可以说：It is a teacher that he is.
但是，如果表语是形容词，有时也可以强调。例如：
It is proud that the workers must be to have succeeded in such a short
time in building the bridge.这些工人在这么短的时间内建了这座桥，
他们感受到的是骄傲。
尽管被强调的名词是复数，动词仍要用单数。例如：
It was the first-year students that held a meeting yesterday.正是一年
级学生昨天开了一个会。
强调结构有时含有“…not…but…”，以加强对比含义。例如：
It was not I but he that got there first.不是我而是他第一个先到达那
儿。
（比较：I didn't get there first, but he did.）
It is not work that kills, but worry.使人伤身的不是干活，而是忧
虑。
It is not so much the actual population of the world but its rate of
increase which is important.世界实际人口就是不如人口增长率那么重
要。
It is not help but obstacles that made man succeed.使人成功的不是
助力，而是阻力。
All man are equal; it is not birth but virtue alone that makes the
difference.（Voltaire）所有的人都是平等的；造成差别的不是门第，
而是美德。It is not who leads them is important, but how he leads them.重要的
不是谁领导他们，而是他如何领导。
强调结构中的谓语动词形式也可能是“表示推测的情态动词＋
be”。例如：
It may be my book that he is reading.他正在读的可能是我的书。
It must be a portrait of your wife that you are painting.你画的一定
是你夫人的肖像。
强调结构中，有时可以把所强调的部分放在句首，以示特别强
调。例如：
A good time it was that we had last night.我们昨晚玩得真痛快。
He it is for whom I am anxious.我正是为他感到焦虑。
如果原句中含有 not…until，改为强调结构时，把 not until 放在
be 之后，形成一个固定的强调句型：“It was not until/till…that…”
（直到……才……）。例如：
It wasn't until yesterday that I got your letter.直到昨天我才收到你的
信。（比较原句：I didn't get your letter until yesterday.）
It was not till evening that we took priority over them.我们直到晚上
才比他们领先。
It was not until a quarter past eight that Mary's mother suddenly woke
up, look at the clock, said…直到八点一刻钟，玛丽的母亲突然醒了，
看着钟，说……
It was not until the 19th century that heat was considered as a form ofenergy.直到十九世纪，热才被认为是一种能。
强调句型用于一般疑问句中，如果原句是一般疑问句，强调结构
用“Is/Was it…that…”形式。例如：
Is it true that you are going to work in Tibet?你打算去西藏工作，这
是真的吗？
Was it you that lost a watch yesterday?是你昨天丢了一只手表吗？
Was it yesterday that he broke the window?他是昨天打破窗子吗？
Was it because you were too busy that you refused to join the tourists?
你是因为太忙才不愿参加旅游团吗？
强调句型用于特殊疑问句中，如果原句是特殊疑问句，强调结构
用“疑问词＋is/was it that…”形式。例如：
What is it that she is looking for?她正在找什么？
Why is it that you wish to leave?你想走究竟是为什么？
Who was it that came to see you yesterday?昨天是谁来看你？
When was it that he paid fifty yuan for a dictionary?他是在什么时候
花了五十元买了一部辞典？
Where was it that you played football?你们是在哪儿踢足球的？
How is it that they are late?他们怎么迟到了？
强调句型可用于感叹句中。例如：
What remarkable intelligence it was that you have displayed！你表现
出的是多么杰出的才智啊！
How wonderful a speech it was you made！你作了一个多么精彩的报告啊！
It is a capable manager that knows his company.无论怎样能干的经
理有时也对自己公司的情况判断错误。
【注1】 强调句型和含有it作形式主语的复合句的区别
1．去掉“It is/was…that”后剩下的词仍能单独组成一个完整句子
者，是强调句型；不能成句者，是非强调句型：
It is from the sun that we get light and heat.（We get light and heat
from the sun.）（强调句型）我们是从太阳那里得到热能。
It is desired that we get everything ready by tonight.（非强调句型，
主语从句）希望我们在今晚以前把一切都准备好。
2．“It is/was＋副词+that”是强调句型。例如：
It is there that accident often occur.正是在那儿经常发生事故。
“It is/was＋形容词＋that”是非强调句型。例如：
It is obvious that metals in common use are very important in our life.
显然，普通使用的金属在我们生活中是非常重要的。
3．It之后谓语是其他形式时，多半不是强调句型：
It has been found that all kinds of matter consist of atoms.（非强调
句型，主语从句）已经发现各种各样的物质都是由原子组成的。
强调句型中偶尔可见到be的其他时态。例如：
It would have been yesterday that he hurt his leg.（过去将来完成时
态）他可能是昨天把腿弄伤了。
It will not be he who has to be responsible for this work.（一般将来时态）要负责这工作的将不会是他。
Obviously, it has been both at home and abroad that they have run
into trouble.（现在完成时态）很明显，他们已经处于内外交困之
中。
【注2】 强调句型和that引导的限制性定语从句的区别
1．It is/was后是专有名词或人称代词者是强调句型。例如：
It is Smith who has won the first place.（强调句型）获得第一名的
正是史密斯。
It was he/him who saw Mary in the street this morning.（强调句型）
是他今天早晨在街上看见了玛丽。
2．定语从句中，关系代词作主语时，通常不能省略；而在强调
句型中，引导词that/who/whom可以省略。例如：
It was Martin (who) did it.（强调句型，who 可省略）正是马丁做
了这件事。
It was a fax (that) came this morning.（强调句型，that 可省略）今
天早晨发来的是一份传真。
