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●Grammar and Usage

Noun clauses introduced by question words and Empty subject it Step1: Noun clauses introduced by question words

Remember: Noun clauses introduced by question words can be used as the subject, object or predictive of the sentence.

1. Let’s go through English and its history on pages 22 and 23 and try to find as many noun clauses as possible. Such as:

In fact, it is certain that we would not be able to understand it if we heard it today. (subject) The question of whether English will continue changing in the future is easy to answer.

(object)

That is why English is a language with so many confusing rules. (predictive)

2. Go over Part 1 on page 28 to get to know which question words are usually used to introduce noun clauses. Such as: what, which, who/whom, whose, when, where, why and how.

3. Let’s read the example sentences in Part 2 and we should pay special attention to the word order in the noun clause.

4. Please focus on Point 3. Note that all the question words introducing the noun clauses are used as a certain element in the sentence, so they cannot be left out.

5.Read the diary in Part A on page 28 to find out what sentence element each noun clause is in the sentence.

6. Finish Part B on page 29 individually.

7. Finish Part C1 on page 94 in the Workbook to practice what you’ve learnt in this part.

Step 2: Empty subject it

You are to learn that the empty subject it is often used to balance the sentence with a long subject. The empty subject it acts as its grammatical subject and the real subject is at the end of the sentence.

1. Let’s analyse the sentences below and find the real subject of each sentence.

It is important for us to learn English well today. (subject: to learn English well today)

It is important that we should learn English well today. (subject: that we should learn English well today)

It is no use wasting your time reading such books all day. (subject: wasting your time reading such books all day)

2. Go over Point 1 on page 30 to familiarize us with situations in which empty subject it is used.

3. Go over Point 2 on page 30 in pairs to familiarize us with how to use it. More examples are given as follows:

He appears to be proud of his daughter. It appears that he is proud of his daughter.

I seem to be more forgetful these days. It seems that I am more forgetful these days. She turns out to be my cousin. It turns out that she is my cousin.

I spent only five minutes to finish the job. It took me only five minutes to finish the job.

4. Read Point 3 on page 30 to make sure you understand situations that call for empty subject it.