Unit 39 · There and it
It ...
Study
We use it for time/day/distance/weather:
time
What time is it?
It's half past ten.
It's late.
It's time to go home.
day
What day is it?
It's Thursday.
It's 16 March.
It was my birthday yesterday.
distance
It's three kilometres from our house to the city centre.
How far is it from New York to Los Angeles?
It's a long way from here to the station.
We can walk home. It isn't far.
We use far in questions (is it far?) and negatives (it isn't far). In positive sentences, we use a long way (it's a long way).
weather
It's raining.
It isn't raining.
Is it snowing?
It rains a lot here.
It didn't rain yesterday.
Does it snow very often?
It's warm/hot/cold/fine/cloudy/windy/sunny/foggy/dark etc.
It's a nice day today.
Compare it and there:
It rains a lot in winter.
There is a lot of rain in winter.
It was very windy.
There was a strong wind yesterday.
It's nice to ... etc.
| it's | easy / difficult / impossible / dangerous / safe / expensive / interesting / nice / wonderful / terrible etc. | to |
It's nice to see you again.
It's impossible to understand her.
It wasn't easy to find your house.
Don't forget it:
It's raining again. (not Is raining again)
Is it true that you're going away? (not Is true that...)
there is ➜ Unit 37
Exercises (5)
Write about the weather in the pictures. Use It's ... .
- 1
raining.example - 2

- 3

- 4

- 5

- 6

Write it is (it's) or is it.
- 1What time ?example
- 2We have to go now. very late.
- 3true that Ben can fly a helicopter?
- 4'What day today? Tuesday?' 'No, Wednesday.'
- 5ten kilometres from the airport to the city centre.
- 6OK to call you at your office?
- 7'Do you want to walk to the hotel?' 'I don't know. How far ?'
- 8Lisa's birthday today. She's 27.
- 9I don't believe it! impossible.
Write questions with How far ... ?
- 1(here / the station)How far is it from here to the station? example
- 2(the hotel / the beach)How far is it from the hotel to the beach?
- 3(New York / Washington)How far is it from New York to Washington?
- 4(your house / the airport)How far is it from your house to the airport?
Write it or there.
- 1The weather isn't so nice today. 's cloudy.example
- 2was a strong wind yesterday.example
- 3's hot in this room. Open a window.
- 4was a nice day yesterday. was warm and sunny.
- 5was a storm last night. Did you hear it?
- 6I was afraid because was very dark.
- 7's often cold here, but isn't much rain.
- 8's a long way from here to the nearest shop.
Complete the sentences. Choose from the boxes.
- 1If you go to bed late, in the morning.example
- 2Hello, Jane. How are you?
- 3There is too much noise.
- 4Everybody is very nice at work.
- 5I like travelling.
- 6Some cities are not safe at night.