Dummy pronouns (also called expletive pronouns or empty subjects) are words that fill the subject position in a sentence without referring to anything specific. The two dummy pronouns in English are it and there.
Dummy "It"
"It" can be used as a subject when there is no real subject. This is common for weather, time, distance, and conditions.
Weather:
- It is raining.
- It is cold outside.
- It snowed last night.
Time:
- It is 5 o'clock.
- It is late.
- It takes two hours to get there.
Distance:
- It is 10 miles to the nearest town.
- It is not far from here.
Conditions:
- It is important to study.
- It is difficult to say.
- It is nice to meet you.
Dummy "There"
"There" is used to introduce the existence or presence of something. The true subject comes after the verb.
- There is a cat on the roof. (The cat is on the roof.)
- There are three students in the room. (Three students are in the room.)
- There was a loud noise. (A loud noise occurred.)
Verb Agreement with "There"
The verb agrees with the true subject that follows it, not with "there."
- There is a book on the table. (singular)
- There are three books on the table. (plural)
- There is a book and two pens. (first noun is singular)
Dummy "It" vs. Dummy "There"
| "It" (conditions) | "There" (existence) | | ------------------ | ------------------------------ | | It is raining. | There is rain outside. | | It is hot. | There is heat in the room. | | It is late. | There is no time left. |
Common Mistakes
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Incorrect: Is raining outside.
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Correct: It is raining outside.
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Incorrect: There is many people here.
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Correct: There are many people here.
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Incorrect: It are two cats in the garden.
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Correct: There are two cats in the garden.
Formal vs. Informal
Dummy pronouns are used in both formal and informal English. However, in very formal writing, avoid overusing "there is/are" and restructure the sentence.
- Informal: There are many reasons for this.
- Formal: Many reasons exist for this.