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Unit 84 · Pronouns and determiners

there ... and it ...

Study

A

We use there … when we talk about something for the first time, to say that it exists:

›

There’s a new restaurant in Hill Street.

›

I’m sorry I’m late. There was a lot of traffic. (not It was a lot of traffic)

›

Things are very expensive now. There has been a big rise in the cost of living.

It = a specific thing, place, fact, situation etc. :

›

We went to the new restaurant. It’s very good. (It = the restaurant)

›

I wasn’t expecting her to call me. It was a complete surprise. (It = that she called)

Compare there and it:

›

I like this town. There’s a lot to do here. It’s an interesting place.

›

I like this town. There’s a lot to do here. It’s an interesting place.

There also means ‘to/at/in that place’:

›

The house is unoccupied. There’s nobody living there. (= in the house)

B

You can say:

there will be there must have been there is sure to be there is likely to be
there must be there should have been there is bound to be there is supposed to be
there might be etc. there would have been etc. there is going to be there used to be
›

‘Is there a flight to Rome tonight?’ ‘There might be. I’ll check online.’

›

If people drove more carefully, there wouldn’t be so many accidents.

›

I could hear music coming from the house. There must have been somebody at home.

›

There’s bound to be a cafe somewhere near here. (= There’s sure to be …)

Compare there and it:

›

They live on a busy road. There must be a lot of noise from the traffic.

›

They live on a busy road. It must be very noisy. (It = living on a busy road)

›

There used to be a cinema here, but it closed a few years ago.

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That building is now a supermarket. It used to be a cinema. (It = that building)

›

There’s sure to be a flight to Rome tonight.

›

There’s a flight to Rome tonight, but it’s sure to be full. (it = the flight)

C

We say:

›

It’s dangerous to walk in the road. (not To walk in the road is dangerous)

Normally we use It … at the beginning of sentences like this. Some more examples:

›

It didn’t take us long to get here.

›

It’s a shame (that) you can’t come to the party.

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It’s not worth waiting any longer. Let’s go.

We also use it to talk about distance, time and weather:

›

How far is it from here to the airport?

›

It’s a long time since we last saw you.

Compare it and there:

›

It was windy. but There was a cold wind.

supposed to … ➜ Unit 45B · it’s worth / it’s no use / there’s no point ➜ Unit 63A · sure to / bound to … etc. ➜ Unit 65E · there is + -ing/-ed ➜ Unit 97

Exercises (4)

0/4 exercises checked
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84.1

Put in there is/was or it is/was. Some sentences are questions (is there … ? / was it … ? etc.) and some are negative (there isn’t / it wasn’t etc.).

  1. 1
    The journey took a long time. a lot of traffic.example
  2. 2
    What’s the new restaurant like? good?
  3. 3
    something wrong with the washing machine. It’s not working properly.
  4. 4
    I wanted to visit the museum yesterday, but enough time.
  5. 5
    What’s that new building over there? a hotel?
  6. 6
    How can we get across the river? a bridge?
  7. 7
    A few days ago a big storm, which caused a lot of damage.
  8. 8
    I can’t find my phone. in my bag – I just looked.
  9. 9
    anything interesting on TV, so I turned it off.
  10. 10
    often very cold here, but much snow.
  11. 11
    I couldn’t see anything. completely dark.
  12. 12
    ‘ a bookshop near here?’ ‘Yes, one in Hudson Street.’
  13. 13
    difficult to get a job right now. a lot of unemployment.
  14. 14
    When we got to the cinema, a queue outside. a very long queue, so we decided not to wait.
84.2

Read the first sentence and then write a sentence beginning There … .

  1. 1
    The roads were busy yesterday. example
  2. 2
    This soup is very salty. There in the soup.
  3. 3
    The box was empty. There in the box.
  4. 4
    About 50 people came to the meeting. There at the meeting.
  5. 5
    The film is very violent. There in the film.
  6. 6
    I like this town – it’s lively.
84.3

Complete the sentences. Use there would be, there used to be etc. Choose from:

won’tmaywouldwouldn’tshouldused tois going to
  1. 1
    If people drove more carefully, fewer accidents.example
  2. 2
    ‘Do we have any eggs?’ ‘I’m not sure. some in the fridge.’
  3. 3
    I think everything will be OK. any problems.
  4. 4
    Look at those clouds. a storm. I’m sure of it.
  5. 5
    There isn’t a school in the village. one, but it closed a few years ago.
  6. 6
    People drive too fast on this road. I think a speed limit.
  7. 7
    If people weren’t so aggressive, any wars.
84.4

Are these sentences OK? Change it to there where necessary.

  1. 1
    They live on a busy road. It must be a lot of noise. example
  2. 2
    It’s a long way from my house to the nearest shop. example
  3. 3
    After the lecture it will be an opportunity to ask questions.
  4. 4
    Why was she so unfriendly? It must have been a reason.
  5. 5
    I like where I live, but it would be nicer to live by the sea.
  6. 6
    How long is it since you last went to the theatre?
  7. 7
    It used to be a lot of tourists here, but not many come now.
  8. 8
    My phone won’t work here. It’s no signal.
  9. 9
    It was Ken’s birthday yesterday. We had a party.
  10. 10
    We won’t have any problem parking the car. It’s sure to be a car park somewhere.
  11. 11
    I’m sorry about what happened. It was my fault.
  12. 12
    I was told that it would be somebody to meet me at the station, but it wasn’t anybody.