idioms - English Language Learners Stack Exchange
{ verb + dummy "it" + so + declarative } - I managed to find only two verbs which can be used in this construction: "arrange" and "make". So I drew the conclusion that all other verbs cannot …
How to correctly use "important to" and "important for"?
The best general rule that this US English speaker can think of from a grammar point of view is It is important for me to verb (where it is a dummy subject) Noun is important to me For …
Using "they" in tag questions with everybody/nobody etc
Jun 9, 2021 · In English, existential clauses usually use the dummy subject construction (also known as expletive) with there, as in "There are boys in the yard"… In the OP's sentence, the …
Is "Is there to meet you tomorrow possible" possible?
It uses the dummy subject, an adjective "possible" and the infinitive phrase to complete the predicate "possible to meet you" The second is poor English. The infinitive in the subject is …
Which is correct in spoken language, "not exist" or "not exists"?
Neither is a correctly formed utterance. If you're asked: Does photographic memory exist? The shortest answer is simply "No." If you want to use a complete sentence, replace the subject …
word usage - Explanation of "does there exist"? - English …
May 23, 2016 · Often in English, we do get clarity by combining multiple ways of suggesting the same thing, but combining dummy there with exist sounds overly wordy. I don't know if there is …
grammar - How many stops is it/are there to the park? - English ...
Mar 14, 2016 · The difference between dummy "there" and dummy "it" is in the degree of abstraction. The locative dummy is the more tangible of the two. So, the idiomatic question …
How to use "get late"? - English Language Learners Stack Exchange
The it is called a dummy pronoun and refers to a time. Dummy pronouns are used a lot in English: "It's odd that you think my letter is good." However, a person is late. A person does not "get …
subject verb agreement - "There is" or "There are" a man and a …
Dec 28, 2018 · In existential constructions like this, the dummy pronoun "there" inherits its number agreement properties from the subject it displaces. In this case the displaced subject consists …
It's good to see you. What's the meaning of 'it' in 'It's good to ...'?
Mar 17, 2025 · "To see you is good" or "Seeing you is good" would be alternative forms of that sentence that do not use dummy "it", yes. Those forms are not much used in contemporary …