The fact that in English there must be a subject and a predicate, we already wrote in the article "How to ask a question in English correctly".
You realized that if there is no verb, you need to insert the linking verb to be. It is impossible to leave a sentence without a verb at all. But what if there is no subject in the sentence?
Such sentences in Russian can be called incomplete (when there is neither a subject nor a predicate). For example:
Night. The outside. Flashlight. Pharmacy…
Morning. Winter. It's frosty today. On the table is a glass.
All these sentences have no subject. The word "Night" is an addition.
This is not allowed in English.
Instead of non-existent subjects, they insert the pronoun "it", "this" or "there"
Moreover, there is used only to indicate the location, and in other cases it is used.
For example,
Dark. – It is dark. = It's dark.
Morning. – It is morning.
It rains in autumn. – It rains in autumn.
It's frosty today. – It is frosty today.
Silly. – It is stupid.
This, that, these, those are used when we want to emphasize that we are pointing to a given subject (more specifically).
This is a book. This is a book.
It was a tough question! – That was a rude question! (traditionally that is used to mean "that", but in the past tense it is used instead of this)
These are the words you always say to me. (plural) – These are the words you keep telling me all the time.
These were my favorite pictures. (in the past tense instead of these) - Those were my favorite paintings.
turnoverthere is/there are
There is a book on the table. – There is a book on the table. (if there should be a singular noun after there, put is, in the past tense - was)
There are many people on the street. – There are lots of people on the street. (if after the introductory there there is a noun in plural, put are, and in the past tense - were)
You can, of course, say:
The book is on the table. Lots of people are on the street.
Then what is the point of studying the turnover there is/there are?
Of course, if you say The rose is on the table, you will be understood, but this turnover decorates the speech and gives a slightly different shade of meaning to the whole statement.
The rose is on the table. The rose is on the table. The answer to the question: where is the rose? The fact that the rose is on the table is emphasized.
There is a rose on the table. - There is a rose on the table. The answer to the question: what is on the table? It is noted that there is generally on the table that it is not empty. The focus is on the table, not the rose. She is generally a secondary object, some kind of non-concrete, a little abstract.
That is why after there is always the article " a"!
Since it is used only in the singular, there is no article after there are.
Therefore, after there is / there are never use the article the!
look! There is a building over there! We must be on the right way! (the building itself does not matter, the main thing is that it is there)
Are you looking for the Embassy? The building is over there. You can see it already. (indicate the location of a specific building)
And one more rule: after the turnover there is / there are always put “no”, and not not (as well as after have).
There is no desk in the classroom.
There are no teeth in my mouth.
In this case, the article a, of course, disappears.
Exception: any
There isn't any books on the shelf.
Very often there is/there are describes feelings, emotions, state of mind and human thoughts
There is some emptiness in my heart since he left.
There are emotions in her songs like in nobody else's.
There is a great difference between his social dance and his performance on the stage.
After there is / there are, only nouns or phrases with nouns are used (with much, a lot of, little, a few, some).
It's cold in the north. (Cold is not a noun, therefore it is not used with there is), therefore - It is cold in the North.
It's hot outside. – It is hot outside.
Something, although not a noun, can be used after there is:
something + adjective or something + optional clause.
There is something I wanna tell you.
Is there anything difficult in that?
There is still something good in you.
There is nothing I can hide from you.
There is nothing serious about your illness.
The same applies to somebody, no one, someone.
It is better to translate sentences with there is / there are from the end, since the circumstance of the place in this sentence is the most important. The turnover there is itself can not be translated, it can be translated with the words: there is, located, available.
look! There is a castle on that hill. – Look! On that hill (there is) a castle.
impersonal proposals
Often, impersonal sentences in Russian are familiar to us in the following form:
I don't like this movie.
I have a car.
My name is Nina.
She lives well.
There is no subject in these sentences.
This is not allowed in English!
The biggest mistake beginners make is trying to literally translate impersonal sentences.
It seems that the sentences are easy, but you can translate them correctly, having understood that:
I don't like this movie = I don't like this movie. - I don't like this film. (Forget about Me not like this film)
She has a kid. = She has a child. (yes, no matter how silly it may sound, you can’t say otherwise) - She has a baby. (None: Her be a child.)
My name is Nina. = My name is Nina. = I am Nina. – My name is Nina. I am Nina. (Me is Nina - you can't)
He lives well. = He lives well. – He lives well. (Incorrect: Him live good)
Never start translating a sentence if it is asked in Russian: me, him, her, them, us ... that is, indirect pronouns. Stop and think about how to "remake" it in the English manner.
An English sentence always begins with the subject, and if this subject is a pronoun, then it should only be he, she, it, I, you, they, we, but in no case us, them, me, him, her.
We have given the most common structures in which beginners make mistakes.
There are, however, impersonal proposals that cannot be so easily altered.
For example,
They gave me a book.
I was told that tomorrow it will rain.
In most cases, the impersonal sentences of the Russian language should become the passive of the English language. The passive voice is when the doer himself is unknown, and the subject - an object that experiences an action on itself, but does nothing itself, is passive. Hence the name: passive voice.
They gave me a book. = I was gifted with a book. – I was presented with a book.
He was dressed and taken to wash. = He was dressed and taken to the bathroom. – He was dressed and shown to the bathroom.
I was told that tomorrow it will rain. = I was told (notified) that it would rain tomorrow. – I was told that it is going to rain tomorrow.
They say the summer will be hot. = It is said that the summer will be hot. - It is said that the summer is going to be hot.
It sounds, again, as it seems to us, strange. But this is a feature of the English language. That is why the passive voice is used much more often in English than in Russian. Because they can't use impersonal sentences.
However, even in English, the passive sometimes looks cumbersome.
There is a way to do it differently. The unknown subject is replaced by the impersonal they. It is not translated into Russian.
They gave me a book. - They presented me with a book.
He was dressed and taken to wash. - They dressed him and showed him to the bathroom.
Sentences that begin with the words: I was told ..., they say ...
almost always used with they:
I was told that tomorrow it will rain. – They told me that it is going to rain tomorrow.
They say the summer will be hot. – They say it is going to be hot in summer.
AT colloquial speech more often they are used, sentences with passive voice- this is most often a sign of the official style of speech and writing.
Sometimes you can put one in place of a non-existent subject, but that would also be bookish rather than colloquial.
You can become a professor, but teaching languages without practical experience is impossible. - One can become a professor, but without practical experience he/they can’t teach languages.
As we said above, in English the main thing is the structure of the sentence. It is absolutely necessary for the English that everything be in order, that there must be a subject and a predicate, that there should be a structure in the sentence, so that you can put the predicate before the subject, ask a question. Our chaotic sentences without a subject (they are called impersonal), for example: I got my car fixed it is impossible to translate word for word, as it is impossible in English, but there are many ways to avoid impersonal sentences.
have something done
The have something done structure is one of them. In English sentence " I'm haircutted" cannot be translated like this: Ihavecutmyhair. or like this: I cut my hair. Such a translation would mean that I took the machine and cut my own hair. The idea that someone did something for me at my request is expressed by the words: have something done.
For example: I have my hair cut. - I am undergot a haircut. (I got a haircut at my request)
I have my dress made. - Isewedyourselfdress. (meaning it was made to order for me)
I have my car fixed. - Ifixedcar. (They fixed my car at my request)
Sometimes it is possible to use get:
I get my roof repaired. - To mefixedroof.
Igetmyroomredecorated. - I made repairs in the room. (I mean, I called someone to do this repair for me)
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All learners of English, probably, have come across sentences that begin with it and there more than once. For example: It is cold (Cold.) There is a little problem (there is a small problem). At first glance, everything is simple. The difficulty arises when you need to independently use them in speech. It is not always clear to students why they are needed and when to use them. It is also complicated by the fact that most often they are not translated into Russian. And since in mother tongue they are not, in English translation they are ignored. However, they cannot be dispensed with, and the English sentence will sound incomplete and unnatural. As you probably know, an English sentence must have a subject. What to do if the sentence does not contain a character or object? The formal subject comes to replace it, which is what it and there are in these sentences. They serve to replace the subject, to introduce the main information into the sentence and other parts of speech. Let's take a closer look at the cases where the use of it and there in a sentence must not be forgotten.
Use it
It's freezing outside. put on your hat. It's cold outside. Put on a hat. How far is it from Naples to Rome? – It's 187.5 km. What is the distance from Naples to Rome? – 187.5m It is illegal to read other people’s letters in many countries. In many countries, reading other people's letters is illegal. It was a dark and stormy night. It was a dark and stormy night. It was half past nine when I left the office. It was half past nine when I left the office.
It seemed that he was there for the first time. It seemed that he was here for the first time. It turned out to be a gift of the destiny. It turned out that this was a gift of fate. It looks like if somebody has already used this room. Looks like someone has already used this room.
There's a beautiful valley between the two rivers. Between the two rivers there is a beautiful valley. There seems to be a mistake. There seems to be an error here. There's no need to worry about that. There is no need to worry about it. There's always a chance for those who try. For everyone who tries, there is always a chance.
Personal sentences are sentences in which the subject expresses a person, object or concept.
The child began to cry.
The child began to cry.
Sometimes the subject is not indicated, but is implied (more often in imperative sentences).
And don't cross the street against the lights.
And do not cross the street in the light (meaning you "you").
Note. For ways to express subjects, see Subject in English
Indefinitely personal sentences
Indefinite personal sentences are sentences in which the subject expresses an indefinite person.
In English, in the function of the subject of an indefinite personal sentence (in the meaning of an indefinite person), pronouns are used one, you or they(the latter - excluding the speaker).
In Russian, there is no subject in indefinite personal sentences. When translating English indefinite sentences into Russian, pronouns one, you and they are not translated, and English indefinitely personal sentences are generally translated into Russian by indefinitely personal or impersonal sentences.
One must be careful when driving a car.
Need be careful when driving.
You never know
what he may bring next time. (- One never knows…)
You never know(hard to say) what it might bring next.
You may walk miles without seeing one.
Can(You can) walk many miles and meet no one.
They say that a new theater will soon be built here.
They say that a new theater will be built here soon.
impersonal proposals
In Russian, an impersonal sentence is a sentence in which there is no subject: Winter. Cold. Dark. It's time to start working.
In English, in impersonal sentences, there is a subject, but it does not express the person or thing that performs the action. The function of this formal subject is expressed by the pronoun it which is usually not translated into Russian.
impersonal proposals are used:
1. When designating:
a) time:
It is 6 o'clock. 6 hours.
It is late. Late.
b) distances:
It is three miles from here. (It's) three miles from here.
c) natural phenomena, weather conditions, emotional state of a person:
It is winter. Winter.
It is cold. Cold.
It is snowing (raining). It is snowing (raining).
2. In the presence of impersonal turns it seems - seems, it appears - obviously, apparently, it happens - turns out.
Astrakhan State Technical University
Department "IAGENO"
Methodical development
grammar topic
"Indefinitely personal and impersonal
sentences in English"
(for studentsI – IIcourses studying English at the university).
Astrakhan 1998
Compiled by: Department of Foreign Languages Ass. Fedorova O. V.
© Astrakhan State Technical University
Indefinitely personal and impersonal sentences.
Remember the following grammar rule:
Indefinite personal sentences in English contain a subject denoting an indefinite person. The subject can be expressed by the pronoun one, this pronoun is not translated into Russian.
For example:
One should carefully select words and expressions in translating a foreign text.
It is necessary to carefully select words and expressions when translating a foreign text.
One can easily find seas, lakes, rivers on the map.
You can easily find seas, lakes, rivers on the map.
In the function of the subject indefinite personal sentence, the pronouns they, we, you are also used in the meaning of an indefinite person,
excluding the speaker.
For example:
They say he will be back on Monday.
When you cross the street you should be careful.
They say he won't be back on Monday.
When crossing the street, you need to be careful.
To find the area of a square we must
knon the length of the side.
To calculate the area of a square, you need to know the length of one side.
Exercise 1.
Translate the sentences from English into Russian.
1. On the map one also finds seas, lakes, rivers.
2. They say there is no life without water.
3. One can easily find the way out from the difficult situation.
4. When you write a dictation you should remember the grammar rules.
5. From the window one saw the four large buildings of the university.
Exercise 2.
Translate the sentences into English using the following models:
Model 1 They say the climate in Europe is getting warmer.
They say that the climate in Europe is getting warmer.
1. He is said to be a great director.
2. She is said to be a talented actress.
3. They say he wants to become a sailor.
4. They say she will teach them French.
Model 2 When you read you should be careful.
When you read, you need to be careful.
1. When writing a letter, you need to be careful. 2. When you see older people in transport, you need to give them a seat. 3. When you receive money, you need to count them without leaving the cash register.
Model 3 To get a good mark at school we must prepare the home task at home.
To get a good mark in school, you need to prepare your homework at home.
1. To translate foreign texts, you need to know foreign languages.
2. To write a dictation without mistakes, you need to learn the grammar rules.
3. To get to know each other well, you need to live a whole life together.
Exercise 3
Compose and translate sentences into Russian using the following verbs .
Model 1: one cannot do everything by himself only with the help of others.
It is forbidden do everything yourself, you can only do it with the help of others.
1. to hear; 2. to see; 3. to visit; 4. to think; 5. to hope.
Impersonal offers.
Remember the following rule:
Impersonal sentences in English do not have a subject of action, although, due to the grammatical structure of English sentences, they always contain a subject expressed by a pronoun.
In an impersonal sentence, it has no lexical meaning, but performs the function of a formal subject and is not translated into Russian.
It's dark now.
(no subject) (predicate)
The predicate in an impersonal sentence can be:
Compound nominal predicate.
Simple verbal predicate.
composite nominal predicate comprises
A) verb to be noun
copula + adjective nominal part
numeral
b) verbs to become + noun nominal part
to get adjective
Very often, such impersonal sentences describe phenomena or states of nature, denote time, distance.
Consider examples:
It was 9 o'clock.
It becomes hot in summer.
It was nine o'clock.
It gets hot in summer.
It will get cold soon. It will be cold soon.
Sentences like "It's getting dark", "It's getting light", "It's freezing", are translated as follows:
It is getting dark. It's getting dark.
It is getting light. It's getting light.
Impersonal sentences like “It is difficult (for me) to understand” are a kind of nominal impersonal sentences and differ from them in that they express the attitude, opinion of the speaker about the action expressed by the infinitive following the adjective.
For example: It is easy to read this book.
When the speaker wants to name the person who performs the action expressed by the infinitive, a turnover with a preposition is used.
For example: It is easy for him to read this book.
In such impersonal sentences, adjectives are most often used:
Difficult - difficult
Easy - easy
Necessary - necessary
Important - important
Strange - strange
Interesting - interesting
Possible - possible
Impossible - not possible, etc.
The structure of an impersonal sentence.
Type A: It is cold; It is interesting. It is difficult to help him.
Is it cold? Yes, it is. (No, it isn't.)
It is not cold.
Type B: It gets/becomes cold.
It gets cold. in autumn.
Does it get cold? in autumn? Yes, it does.
become No, it doesn't.
When does it get cold? - In autumn.
It doesn't get cold.
Type C: It is getting dark.
It is getting dark.
Is it getting dark? Yes, it is.
No, it isn't.
It is not getting dark.
Interrogative and negative forms in impersonal sentences are built according to the general rule. The auxiliary verb changes depending on the tense. It must be remembered that the verb “to be” itself acts as an auxiliary verb and does not additionally require another verb.
Exercise 1. Read and translate into Russian the following sentences. Put them in interrogative and negative forms.
1. It is usually dark at 6 o'clock in winter. 2. It is always cold in January. 3. It was simple to translate that letter. 4. It was warm yesterday. 5. It will be interesting for you to read this English book. 6. It was easy to find the railway station. 7. It is difficult for him to learn this text by heart.
Exercise 2.
Make three sentences each using the following examples using adjectives.
dark - dark cold - cold
hot - hot late - late
warm-warm.
a) It is light here now.
b) It was early morning.
c) Is it already ten o'clock?
Exercise3.
Translate the following sentences into English according to the models.
Model 1: Dark - It is dark.
1. Light. 2. Hot. 3. Cool. 4.Heat. 5. Interesting. 6. It's important to know this. 7. It's hard to ask about it. 8. It was cold in November.
Model 2: Dawn - It is getting light.
1. It's getting dark. 2. It becomes warm and light. It's getting chilly. 4. Get bored. 5. It's getting hot.
1. It gets hot in July. 2. It dawns at five o'clock in the morning. 3. When does it get dark? 4. It becomes difficult to understand it.
Exercise 4
Put the following sentences in the past and future tenses, changing the circumstances of the time accordingly.
1. It is cold today. 2. It is dark here. 3. It is eight o'clock. 4. It is easy to understand this simple text. 5. It is interesting to listen to your stories. 6. It is difficult for me to learn some grammar rules. 7. It is dark in this room. 8. It is important for me to invite them how. 9. It is strange for us to hear such words. 10. It is strange for him to see you here.
Exercise 5
Answer the questions paying attention to the impersonal sentences.
1. It is usually cold in April, isn't it?
2. Is it usually dark or light in the streets at five o'clock in the morning in summer?
3. Was it warm or cold yesterday?
4. Will it be warm or cold tomorrow?
5. Is it usually hot or cold in summer?
6. Won't it be late if I ring you up at eleven o'clock to-night?
7. Is it the shortest (longest) day of the year today?
8. Is it colder or warmer today than it was yesterday?
Exercise 6
Translate the following sentences into English.
1. It's very dark in here. Let's study in room number 3. 2. It's cold near the window. Let's sit here, it's warmer here. 3. This is not a very important question, let's discuss it tomorrow. It's already very late now. 4. It was very early, but when I approached the river my brother was already waiting for me. 5. It is too early to discuss the results of our work. 6. Winter. Cold. 7. It is difficult to get up early in winter because it is dark in the morning. 8. Katya knows German and French, so it is easy for her to learn English. 9. It is strange that she does not take part in the discussion of this report. 10. Do you find it difficult to walk? Let's take a taxi. 11. It is not at all strange that Tom did not agree to go with you to the city of N. He never likes this place.
Exercise 7
Change the sentences into impersonal ones using the impersonal “it”, according to the model.
Model: He came to Moscow only yesterday. It was only yesterday that he came to
1. I recognized him only when he came up to me.
2.He used to read to us Cheknov's stories.
3. I could not read this book because of the small type.
4. This student made a very good report on the international situation. at the meeting yesterday.
5. He made so much progress in English because he worked a great deal.
6. His smile made me recognize him immediately.
7. I objected to his taking part in this work.
8. He improved his phonetics by reading books aloud.
9. I med him on my home.
10. In our country men of education and culture, men of lofty principle and moral integrity are most highly esteemed.
Remember the following rule.
The predicate in an impersonal sentence can be a simple verb, which is expressed by verbs denoting states of nature:
To rain, to snow, to freeze, to thunder, etc.
For example: Il often rains in autumn.
It often rains in autumn.
It snowed in December.
It snowed in December.
It rains/snows in spring.
Does it rain/snow in spring? Yes, it does
No, it doesn't.
When does it rain/snow? - In spring.
It doesn't rain/snow in spring.
It is raining now.
Is it raining now? Yes, it is.
It is not raining now.
Interrogative and negative sentences are built according to the general rule. The auxiliary verb changes depending on the tense. But the verb “to be” does not require an auxiliary verb.
Do the following grammar exercises:
Exercise number 1. Read and translate the following sentences into Russian. Put these sentences in interrogative and negative forms.
1. It often rains in autumn. 2. It is snowing now. 3. It was thundering at eleven o’clock yesterday. 4. It seldom snows in October. 5. It will rain soon.
Exercise number 2. Translate into English.
1. Look out the window. It's raining? 2. Was it snowing yesterday? -Not. It didn't snow yesterday and it was very cold. 3. When I left the house, it was raining. 4. When does it often rain? - It often rains in autumn. 5. It rarely snows in this city in November.
Exercise number 3. Put in the future and past tenses, changing the circumstances of the time accordingly.
1. It snows much in winter. 2. It rains in autumn.
3. It is snowing now. 4. It thunders in summer.
Exercise number 4. Translate the sentences according to the models.
Model 1: It snows in winter.
1. In April and May it's raining everyday. 2. It often snows in January. 3. Does it snow in England in winter? 4. Does it rain there in summer?
Exercise number 5. Agree with the statement or refute it. Complete your answers.
Model: It is warm in summer.
Yes, you are right. It is warm in summer. Summer is the warmest season
Model: It rains in February (Snow).
Excuse me, but it doesn't rain in February. There is a lot of snow in Feb-
1. It snow in spring (begin to melt)
2. It is raining in autumn.
3. It is cold in winter.
4. It is foggy in the afternoon (in the morning).
5. It is cold in August. (hot).
6. It is difficult to translate this text. (easy).
Remember the following grammar rule.
Impersonal sentences, in addition, include sentences where the predicate is a verb expressing doubt, probability, chance, for example:
to seem, to happen, to appear, to turn out, etc.
This includes such impersonal turns as:
it seems - it seems
to appear - apparently, obviously
to happen
for example:
It seems that he works much.
Seems, He works a lot.
It turned out that nobody knew anything about the matter.
It turned out, that no one knows anything about this case.
The interrogative and negative forms of such sentences are built according to the general rule.
The structure of sentences of this type.
It seems that she knows English.
Does it seem that she knows English?
It doesn't seem that she knows English.
Do the following exercises:
Exercise #1. Read and translate the following sentences into Russian. Put these sentences in interrogative and negative forms.
1. It seems that she cooked breakfast.
2. It appears that your friends often come to you.
3. It turned out that Helen saw him in the cinema.
4. It happened that Tom got a bad mark.
5. It turns out that she works at the factory.
Exercise #2. Translate the sentences into English.
1. It turns out that he got up at 10 o'clock yesterday.
2. I think I saw her somewhere, but I don't remember where.
3. Apparently, she knows English well, as she translates this text very quickly. 4. I think I have read this book.
5. Apparently. Jane won't come.
Exercise #3. Read the text and change the sentences to impersonal or indefinitely personal, using the pronouns one, we, you, they, it and impersonal sentences like:
It turns out…
It is important to remember…
It is necessary to know … etc.
There is no life without water. Man can Live without clothes, without shelter, and even for some time without food. Without water he soon dies.
Some people say that man and his story is “a question of water and Little else”. Allhis food has water, from about 60 to as much as 95 per cent. His body is about 70 per cent water. But often man does not have enough water.
Man needed something to carry and keep water in, and so the idea of pottery was born. And industry is thirsty too. People need 3.5 liters of water to produce a kilogram of dry cement, 10 liters to produce one liters of petrol, 100 liters to produce one kilogram of paper, and so. on.
The earth has as much water as it ever had: no more, no Less. But with every year the world gets Larger and Larger. That's why everybody must use water sparingly.
Even junior schoolchildren it is known that according to the grammatical structure of the sentence there are very different: simple, complex and complex, etc. We use them every day and they seem completely natural to us. In this motley group special place take impersonal offers. In truth, the British crown has a few surprises up its striped sleeve, so we finish our traditional milk tea and start focusing.
So, in impersonal sentences in English (Impersonal Sentences), you will never see either the performer of the action, or even the action itself. Remember the unforgettable "Night. The outside. Flashlight. Pharmacy." or the beginning of the standard tabloid publications "Darkness ...". It is these cases that will be discussed.
It would be logical to divide such structures into two groups: without subject and without a predicate. And if in Russian you can use any members of the sentence as you please, then the English language inevitably imposes a certain strict structure, namely: in any sentence there are always both main members. Moreover, the subject comes first, and then the predicate. Let's not be too lazy to remind: always! So if you don't see some of them in the source code in your native language, then they will appear during the translation. If you ignore them, feel free to subtract points from your exam paper or say goodbye with respect in the eyes of your English-speaking friends.
Using Impersonal Suggestions
These structures are used to denote:
- natural phenomena:
It was so cold that I could hardly breathe. It was so cold that I could hardly breathe.
It has been drizzling since morning. - It has been raining since morning.
- weather conditions:
It will be sunny and hot tomorrow. Tomorrow it will be sunny and hot.
It was very frosty and slippery last January. — Last January it was very frosty and slippery.
- Time and distance. Especially note for yourself the construction of the phrase “It takes me ... / I need ...” with the value of the time interval, which combines it and take:
It was five o'clock when I returned home. It was five o'clock when I got home.
It is not very far to the barn in the field from my aunt's house. “It’s not very far from my aunt’s house to a barn in the field.
It takes me nearly an hour to get back home from school. It takes me almost an hour to get home from school.
- Actions described by the infinitive:
It is never too late to say thank you. It's never too late to say thank you.
It is hard enough to part with you boss friends. It's hard enough to say goodbye to your bosom friends.
- Impersonal turnovers with the verbs to happen - to happen, to seem - to appear, to turn out - to appear, to appear - to appear, etc. So, complex sentences in English may include an impersonal representative:
It appears that Melissa won't visit us today. “Looks like Melissa won't be visiting us today.
It so happened that I hated hot milk with mineral water. - It so happened that I hated hot milk with mineral water.
- Modalities with the corresponding verbs: can - be able, may - have permission, must - be due, etc. In this case, you need a formal subject one, which has no equivalent in translation:
One must not cross the road here. - You can't cross the road here.
One cannot learn all the cards for the exam in a day. — It is impossible to learn all the tickets for the exam in a day.
As you may have noticed, almost all impersonal sentences in English have a formal subject. it. Remember that it is not translated into Russian.
Well, let's look at two groups of interest to us. Do not forget that different tenses of the Simple, Continuous and Perfect Continuous groups can be used in all phrases:
- Nominal sentences in English do not have a predicate in their composition, which, however, must necessarily emerge when translated in the form is verb to be or another copula in the third person and singular. Here it combined with nouns, adjectives, adverbs and phrases like adjective + infinitive:
It is very dirty outside, put on your old boots. It's very dirty outside, put on your old shoes.
It was so easy to swim across the river. It was so easy to swim across the river.
It is almost September and my nephews don't want to start school. It's almost September now and my nephews don't want to go to first grade.
- Verbal sentences do not fundamentally differ from their aforementioned relative. Here you will meet all the same it and impersonal verbs: to rain - go (about rain), to snow - go (about snow), to hail - go (about hail), to drizzle - drizzle, etc.:
Let's go home, it is getting dark. Let's go home, it's getting dark.
It hailed yesterday and I am afraid that my garden was damaged. There was hail yesterday and I'm afraid my garden has been damaged.
When it doesn't snow in winter one cannot ski or skate. When it doesn't snow in winter, you can't ski or skate.
As for interrogative and negative sentences, everything works here classic rules English grammar- use auxiliary verbs, and everything will work out:
Is it windy today? Should I take my hat? — Is it windy today? Should I take my hat?
It hasn't rained for a week already, the ground is very dry. It hasn't rained for a week now, the ground is very dry.
As a result, it should be noted that impersonality is widely used in English: both simple and complex sentences have their own design options. In fact, there is nothing difficult in memorizing this material and using it correctly in speech. Everything is quite logical and justified, so feel free to take on the development and consolidation of the rule.
