too late to start.

现在开始太晚了。

解析:这句的主语也是“空”的,句中的不定式 to start 作结果状语,而不是句中的真正主语。

3. 表示距离,例如:

It's three miles to Lucy's house.

到露西家有三英里。

4. 用来称呼打电话的人、看不见的人或指明是某人,例如:

Hello! It's me!

喂!是我!

It's the postman at the door.

是门口的邮递员。

Who's that woman over there? It's Elizabeth, the new boss.

那边那个女人是谁?是伊丽莎白,新老板。

5. 用于强调句,例如:

It was John who cleaned the flat.

是约翰打扫了公寓。

It was ten years ago that I studied Japanese.

我是十年前学日语的。

6. 用于作结构“It seem/appear/happen/turn out 表语从句”的主语,这种句型描述某种状态,例如:

It seemed that he didn’t know the place.

他好像不知道那个地方。

It appears that there has been a mistake.

看来有一个差错。

It happened that she was out when we called.

我们打电话时她刚巧不在家。

7. 用于作表语是名词短语“a adj time”的句子的主语 ,这种句型表示是什么时候做某事,例如:

It was high time to take their departure.

是时候离开了。

解析:此句中的 to take their departure 也不是句中的真正主语,而是作定语修饰 time.

8. 作形式主语的 it 要与作真实主语的 it 区分开来,例如:

It is three hundred years old.

它有三百年的历史。

解析:这句的 it 指代有三百年历史的某个东西,是真实地指代某个东西主语。

二、there 作形式主语

There 作形式主语,表存在,就是常见的”there be“句型,其中 be 动词可以用任何时态,例如:

There's a coffee shop next to the station.

车站旁边有一家咖啡店。

There is no way Poco can win this match.

波科不可能赢这场比赛。

There was a boy in the car.

车里有个男孩。

There's been an accident.

出了事故。

英语的强调句型结构(两个简单的虚主语)(1)

三、it 作“真”主语

It 作“真”主语,指的是当一个句子很长时,用 it 来作句子的主语,它指代真正的主语,而真正的主语在句子的其他地方,通常是不定式、动名词或名词性从句,此时句子可以转换成不用形式主语 it 的句子,例如:

1. 不定式作主语

It is important to know when to give up .

知道什么时候放弃很重要 .

解析:这句的真正主语是 to know when to give up,因此可以改写为 To know when to give up is important,改写后的句子虽然行得通,但是给人头重脚轻的感觉,而且句子的结构也比较混乱。

It takes two hours to get to London.

到伦敦要两个小时。

2. 动名词作主语

It's lovely having time to relax.

有时间放松真是太好了。

解析:这句的真正主语是 having time to relax,因此可以改写为 Having time to relax is lovely,改写后的句子同样有头重脚轻的感觉。

It was no good coming there again.

再到那里来也没有好处。

It is useless doing that.

那样做没用。

3. 名词从句作主语

It’s wonderful that you found each other.

你们找到了彼此 ,真是太好了。

解析:这句的真正主语是 that you found each other,因此可以改写为 That you found each other is wonderful,同样给人头重脚轻的感觉。

It seems inevitable that she will discover the truth .

 她会发现真相的似乎是不可避免的。

解析:这句的真正主语是 that she will discover the truth ,因此可以改写为 That she will discover the truth  seems inevitable,同样给人头重脚轻的感觉。

It disturbs her that he was acquitted.

他被无罪释放使她不安。

解析:这句的真正主语是 that he was acquitted ,因此可以改写为 That he was acquitted disturbs her,同样给人头重脚轻的感觉。

四、使用形式主语的情况

有时若不使用形式主语 it 或 there 作主语,可能听起来很奇怪或不符合常规的表达方式,而且有时无缘无故地强调了主语,甚至会出现句子的可读性很差的现象,伴随着头重脚轻的感觉,例如:

剩下一些蛋糕。

There is some cake left. (常用)

Some cake is left. (不常用)

拐角处有一家超市。

There is a supermarket around the corner. (常用)

A supermarket is around the corner. (不常用)

解析:在回答类似于”What is around the corner?“这样的问题时,相比于用整个句子 A supermarket is around the corner,只用 a supermarket 来回答显得简洁。

在一段关系中,诚实相待是很重要的。

It is important to be honest with each other in a relationship. (常用)

To be honest with each other in a relationship is important. (不常用)

解析:第二句有很明显的头重脚轻的感觉。

关注外语行天下,后期会更精彩。

,