ENGLISH
REFERENCE

it

pron. · adj.
  1. 1 referring to a thing (pron.)
    A1 Beginner

    you use this to talk about an object, an animal, or an idea that you have already mentioned.

    the third-person singular neuter pronoun used to refer to an inanimate object, abstract entity, or non-human organism.

    Example

    I found a great book and I can't stop reading it.

    Example

    The committee reviewed the proposal thoroughly before deciding to reject it on the grounds of insufficient funding.

    Usage

    Functions as either a subject or an object pronoun.

  2. 2 weather and time (pron.)
    A1 Beginner

    you use this as a 'dummy' subject when talking about the weather, time, or distance.

    an impersonal or 'dummy' pronoun used as a syntactic filler for the subject position in statements about environmental conditions or temporal states.

    Example

    It is raining outside, so you should take an umbrella.

    Example

    It is nearly ten miles to the nearest service station, so we should check the fuel levels now.

    Usage

    Known as the 'dummy it' because it has no real semantic referent in the sentence.

Show 3 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 identifying a person (pron.)
    A1 Beginner

    you use this to identify who someone is, especially when you cannot see them or on the phone.

    used to identify a person whose identity is being established or revealed in the discourse.

    Example

    There is someone at the door. I think it is the postman.

    Example

    When the phone rang at midnight, she answered tentatively, only to find it was her brother calling from abroad.

    Usage

    Commonly used with the verb 'to be' for identification.

  2. 4 placeholder for a clause (pron.)
    B1 Intermediate

    you use this at the start of a sentence to introduce a longer idea that comes later.

    an anticipatory pronoun acting as a placeholder for a delayed subject, such as an infinitive phrase or a noun clause.

    Example

    It is important to sleep well before a big exam.

    Example

    It remains to be seen whether the new policy will actually improve the economic situation in the long term.

    Usage

    Often used in the pattern 'It is [adjective] to [verb]'.

  3. 5 very fashionable (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang

    used to describe something or someone that is currently the most popular or fashionable.

    denoting a person or thing that is currently highly fashionable or trendy.

    Example

    She is the new 'it' girl of the fashion world this year.

    Example

    That specific shade of green has become the it colour for interior designers this season.

    Teacher's tip

    Often used in the phrase 'it girl' or 'it bag' to denote peak popularity.
Word family

© 2026 English Reference