it
Un pronom pour parler d'un objet, d'un animal ou d'une idée.
The word 'it' is your go-to neutral pronoun for referring to anything that is not a specific person.
Mot en 30 secondes
- Used to replace a singular non-human noun.
- Functions as a neutral third-person subject or object.
- Essential for expressing time, weather, and general situations.
Summary
The word 'it' is your go-to neutral pronoun for referring to anything that is not a specific person.
- Used to replace a singular non-human noun.
- Functions as a neutral third-person subject or object.
- Essential for expressing time, weather, and general situations.
Use it to avoid repetitive nouns
Instead of saying 'The car is fast because the car has a good engine,' say 'The car is fast because it has a good engine.' This makes your speech sound much more natural.
Don't confuse its and it's
Remember that 'its' is possessive, while 'it's' is a contraction for 'it is.' A simple test is to try replacing the word with 'it is'—if it doesn't make sense, use 'its'.
Gender neutrality in English
English is unique in its use of 'it' for inanimate objects. In many other languages, objects have grammatical gender, but in English, 'it' keeps things simple and neutral.
Exemples
4 sur 4I lost my key, but I found it in my bag.
It is required that all employees sign the form.
It's a beautiful day, isn't it?
It has been demonstrated that exercise improves health.
Famille de mots
Astuce mémo
Think of 'it' as a simple 'placeholder' button. Whenever you want to avoid repeating a noun, just press the 'it' button!
Overview
'It' is one of the most fundamental pronouns in the English language. It functions as a neutral, third-person singular pronoun, standing in for non-human entities. Unlike 'he' or 'she,' which carry gendered implications, 'it' is entirely gender-neutral, making it the standard choice for inanimate objects, animals (unless the gender is known and significant), and abstract ideas.
Usage Patterns
'It' primarily acts as a subject or an object in a sentence. For example, 'It is raining' uses 'it' as a dummy subject to describe weather. In 'I bought a book and read it,' 'it' functions as the direct object, referring back to the book. 'It' is also frequently used in cleft sentences to emphasize information, such as 'It was John who called,' where 'it' serves as a syntactic placeholder.
Common Contexts
You will encounter 'it' in almost every English conversation. It is essential for discussing the weather ('It is cold'), time ('It is five o'clock'), and distance ('It is far'). It is also used to refer to situations or events, as in 'It was a pleasure meeting you.' In formal writing, 'it' is used to maintain an objective tone by referring back to previously mentioned data or arguments.
Similar Words Comparison: 'It' is often compared to 'this' and 'that.' While 'it' is a simple pronoun used for reference, 'this' and 'that' are demonstrative pronouns. 'This' typically points to something close in space or time, while 'that' points to something further away. 'It' does not point; it simply substitutes. For instance, if you say 'I like this,' you are highlighting a specific item. If you say 'I like it,' you are simply referring to an item already known to the listener. Understanding this distinction helps learners improve their precision in communication.
Notes d'usage
The pronoun 'it' is used in all registers, from casual speech to formal academic writing. Its primary function is to maintain flow by avoiding the repetition of nouns. It is highly versatile and essential for natural-sounding English.
Erreurs courantes
A common mistake is using 'it' when the gender of a person is known, such as saying 'It is my brother' instead of 'He is my brother.' Another error is omitting 'it' in weather expressions, like saying 'Is raining' instead of 'It is raining.' Finally, confusing 'its' and 'it's' remains a frequent error even for native speakers.
Astuce mémo
Think of 'it' as a simple 'placeholder' button. Whenever you want to avoid repeating a noun, just press the 'it' button!
Origine du mot
The word 'it' comes from the Old English 'hit,' which was the neuter form of the third-person pronoun. Over centuries, the initial 'h' was dropped to become the modern 'it.'
Contexte culturel
In English culture, 'it' is used to maintain a sense of distance or objectivity. Because English is a language that avoids gendered nouns for objects, 'it' provides a clean, efficient way to categorize the world.
Exemples
I lost my key, but I found it in my bag.
everydayIt is required that all employees sign the form.
formalIt's a beautiful day, isn't it?
informalIt has been demonstrated that exercise improves health.
academicFamille de mots
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
Go for it
Forget it
It is what it is
Souvent confondu avec
'This' is used to introduce something new or point to something close. 'It' is used to refer back to something already known.
'That' often refers to something further away in distance or time. 'It' is neutral and does not imply distance.
Modèles grammaticaux
Use it to avoid repetitive nouns
Instead of saying 'The car is fast because the car has a good engine,' say 'The car is fast because it has a good engine.' This makes your speech sound much more natural.
Don't confuse its and it's
Remember that 'its' is possessive, while 'it's' is a contraction for 'it is.' A simple test is to try replacing the word with 'it is'—if it doesn't make sense, use 'its'.
Gender neutrality in English
English is unique in its use of 'it' for inanimate objects. In many other languages, objects have grammatical gender, but in English, 'it' keeps things simple and neutral.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.
I saw a movie yesterday, and ___ was very funny.
The movie is a singular, inanimate object, so 'it' is the correct pronoun.
Select the correct usage.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Weather expressions require the dummy subject 'it'.
Rearrange the words to form a correct sentence.
the / it / box / is / inside
This follows standard Subject-Verb-Object word order.
Score : /3
Questions fréquentes
4 questionsYes, you can use 'it' for animals, especially if their gender is unknown. However, many pet owners prefer using 'he' or 'she' to show affection.
A 'dummy it' is used when the subject is not a specific thing, such as in weather or time expressions. For example, 'It is sunny' doesn't refer to a specific object, but simply describes the state of the world.
No, 'it' is strictly singular. The plural form for things is 'they'.
The possessive form is 'its' (without an apostrophe). Do not confuse this with 'it's,' which is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has'.
Apprendre en contexte
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
Grammaire lie
Expressions liées
Vocabulaire associé
Plus de mots sur general
about
A1'About' signifie 'à propos de' quand on parle d'un sujet, ou 'environ' pour une quantité.
above
A2Indique une position plus haute que quelque chose d'autre, juste au-dessus.
accident
A2Un événement imprévu qui cause du tort ou des blessures.
action
A2C'est le fait de faire quelque chose pour atteindre un but.
after
A2'After' veut dire 'après', quelque chose qui arrive plus tard dans le temps ou dans l'espace.
afterward
A2At a later or subsequent time.
again
A2'Again' veut dire 'encore', que quelque chose se produit une deuxième fois ou plus.
aged
B1Cela précise l'âge d'une personne ou d'un objet.
alive
A2Quelque chose qui est en vie, qui n'est pas mort.
all
A2'All' désigne la totalité de quelque chose, chaque élément sans exception.
