it

it — pronoun

1. points back to a thing, an animal, a situation, or an idea that was already ment

1.pronounA1
Definition

points back to a thing, an animal, a situation, or an idea that was already mentioned — used as the doer or the receiver of an action in a sentence.

Example

Zola found her phone under the sofa — it was still working after the fall.

subject pronoun referring to a thing

The package arrived yesterday, but I haven't opened it yet.

object pronoun referring to a thing

Grammar Patterns

it + verb (subject)

verb + it (object)

preposition + it

Usage Note

Only sense where 'it' has a clear antecedent — the person, thing, or idea it refers back to is named earlier in the conversation or text.

Common Mistakes

The book is interesting. I like him very much.
The book is interesting. I like it very much.
use 'it' for things and animals, not 'him' or 'her'.

2. placed at the front of a sentence as a dummy subject while the real subject — a

2.pronounA2
Definition

placed at the front of a sentence as a dummy subject while the real subject — a to-infinitive phrase, a that-clause, or a for-phrase — comes later; also used in cleft sentences to highlight one part of the sentence.

Example

It is important for children to drink enough water during summer.

it + be + adjective + for + someone + to-infinitive

It takes the bus about forty minutes to reach the airport from here.

it + take + time + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • it is important to
  • it takes time to
  • it seems that
  • it appears that
  • it is clear that
  • it was ... who

Grammar Patterns

it + be + adjective + to-infinitive

it + be + noun + that-clause

it + take + time + to-infinitive

it + seem/appear + that-clause

it + be + noun + who/that (cleft)

Usage Note

The real subject (the phrase after 'it') can usually be moved to the front: 'To drink enough water is important' — but the 'it' version sounds more natural in everyday English.

3. used as a sentence subject when talking about the time of day, the date, weather

3.pronounA1
Definition

used as a sentence subject when talking about the time of day, the date, weather conditions, how far away a place is, or how dark or light it is — without referring to any earlier person or thing.

Example

It is already half past ten — the library will close soon.

time of day

It was raining hard when Cyrus stepped off the train.

weather condition

Common collocations
  • it is + time
  • it is raining/snowing
  • it is cold/hot/dark
  • it is + distance

Grammar Patterns

it + be + time

it + weather verb (rain, snow)

it + be + adjective (cold, dark)

it + be + distance (far, five miles)

Usage Note

Unlike senses 1 and 2, this 'it' does not stand for anything — it simply fills the subject position because English sentences need a subject. Other languages often leave this out (e.g. Spanish 'Llueve' = 'It rains').

Common Mistakes

Is raining outside.
It is raining outside.
English requires a subject in every sentence, even when the subject has no real meaning.
Idioms

that is it

idiom

Used to say that something is the main point or reason.

That is it—I cannot work with all this noise.

He said that is it; we have no more time.

this is it

idiom

Used to say that the expected moment has arrived.

This is it! The race is about to start.

Maya thought, this is it, the final exam.

it — adjective

it — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something fashionable, but they differ in scope and duration. 'It' is the most temporary and specific — it means 'the single most popular thing right now' (e.g. 'that it bag'), and its use is almost always attributive (before a noun). 'Trendy' is more neutral and common, describing anything that follows current fashion, but it can feel slightly dismissive ('a trendy café'). 'Hip' suggests belonging to a particular in-group or subculture, with a slight edge of being alternative rather than mainstream. 'Cool' is the broadest and most lasting — it can describe personality, style, objects, or ideas, and it rarely goes out of date. A restaurant might be 'hip' for its underground atmosphere, 'trendy' for its menu, 'cool' for its vibe, and 'the it place' for that one season when everyone is talking about it.

trendy ↗hip ↗cool ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'it' comes from Old English 'hit', which belonged to a set of neutral pronouns in early Germanic languages. Over time, the 'h-' at the beginning dropped away in ordinary speech, leaving 'it' as we know it today. The fashion- adjective sense (an 'it bag', an 'it girl') first appeared in the early 1900s and was popularised by the 1927 film 'It', which starred Clara Bow as a carefree, magnetic young woman — though the slang sense was already being used before the movie.