Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
The mystery of ‘it’ in English. The most dramatic moments in grammar history. Ghost Town Mad, the song
Mar 4, 2025
Ever wondered why we say "It's raining"? Dive into the quirky logic behind the use of the word 'it' as a placeholder in English. Discover a dramatic punctuation duel from 1837 that pitted two law professors against one another, highlighting the lengths people will go for grammar. You'll be amused by a costly grammar mistake that had significant financial repercussions. Plus, enjoy a humorous musical twist with a listener's family slang – a delightful peek into how we communicate within families!
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Quick takeaways
- The English use of 'it' as a dummy subject ensures proper sentence structure, contrasting with languages like Spanish that don't require it.
- Historical grammar conflicts, such as duels over punctuation marks and costly errors, illustrate the serious implications of grammatical rules.
Deep dives
The Role of 'It' in English Sentences
The use of the word 'it' in English serves as a grammatical placeholder, often not referring to any specific noun. This 'dummy subject' appears in sentences like 'It is raining,' where 'it' does not signify anything concrete but maintains the required subject-verb structure essential for proper sentence formation. In contrast to languages like Spanish, where the verb itself conveys full meaning without needing an additional subject, English demands both a subject and a verb, which results in the use of 'it.' This characteristic can make understanding English particularly unique, as many languages do not have an equivalent for this kind of placeholder.
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