Great English Grammar Book (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Zhang Daoren Wen Zhid
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: This book emphasizes practicality, avoiding grammar history and theory, focusing entirely on the English rules that generally concern readers. The content is rich yet explained in a simple and clear manner, making it accessible and not overly complex. The book addresses some rarely discussed topics (e.g., "aspect"), provides special explanations for certain words (e.g., "emotional" as an adjective), and offers insights into forty-seven sentence patterns, which may catch the reader's attention. The examples used in the book are intentionally avoided with difficult words and kept concise, stopping as soon as the grammar point is illustrated. Suitable for readers with intermediate to advanced English proficiency. The book is divided into two parts: the first part covers English morphology, studying eight categories of words individually, while the second part covers English syntax, studying the integration of eight categories of words. The book contains numerous examples but avoids repetitive ones, incorporating new elements to facilitate flexible application and adaptability. At the end of the book, a detailed index is provided, enabling readers to quickly locate any topic among ten thousand entries, regardless of where the answer may be hidden in the text.
Excerpt: Usage of "It"
7. Usage of "It"
It has many different uses, mainly categorized as follows:
Common uses:
a. Referring to something previously mentioned:
1) He bought a book and gave it to me. (It represents the neutral noun mentioned earlier, which occurs frequently)
2) He has a baby, he loves it (or him or her). (It can represent "baby")
He has got a pig, he has kept it for five months. (It can represent an animal)
Providence? It is always hidden. (It can refer to "Providence")
(Note: God must be referred to as "He" and "Him," e.g., "All comes from God and must go back to Him again.")
Nothing (or Everything) is lost, is it? (or isn’t it?)?
3) He tried to get up, but found it impossible. (Referring to the meaning of a part of the sentence mentioned earlier)
He learns music, and it will take him many years.
I must say something, but it is impossible.
4) He arrived yesterday, but nobody knows it. (Representing the entire preceding sentence, but "that" is better in this case.)
John hates children, and it is strange.
That she knows him and they have been schoolmates is a fact.
5) He is an idiot, and he looks it (or that) (= an idiot). (It can follow a linking verb like "look" and refer to a noun or adjective mentioned earlier.)
They are strong and should be it (= strong).
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b. Referring to something at the end of the sentence:
It is also often used to represent certain words, phrases, or clauses at the end of a sentence. It can serve as the subject or the object of a verb complement:
As the subject:
1) It was shocking, that accident. (Representing a noun)
It is a vicious animal, that dog of yours. (Representing a noun)
2) It seems impolite to talk loud. (Representing an infinitive phrase)
It takes about four years to understand grammar. (Representing an infinitive phrase)
A bloodier crime than this (long object moved to the front) it’s hard to imagine. (Representing an infinitive phrase)
3) It is wonderful, swimming in summer. (Representing a gerund)
(less common)
4) It astonished her that you should suddenly disappear. (Representing a noun clause)
It puzzles me why you did not let me know. (Representing a noun clause)
As the object of a verb complement:
5) I suppose it wrong to tell lies. (Representing the following infinitive phrase)
6) He thinks it foolish to learn music. (Representing the following infinitive phrase)
I think it impossible that he should ill-treat her. (Representing the following noun clause)
I suppose it mysterious how he got rich. (Representing the following noun clause)
It is...that... structure: Used to emphasize a part of the sentence:
7) It is she that has brought me up with a true love. (Usually said: "He brought me up with a true love." If the subject "he" is emphasized, this structure can be used.)
It is me that has brought me up with a true love. (Emphasizing the object "me" in the original sentence)
It is with a true love that he has brought me up. (Emphasizing the prepositional phrase in the original sentence)
It was after my parents died that he brought me up with a true love. (The original sentence was: "He brought me up with a true love after my parents died." This structure emphasizes the adverbial clause in the original sentence.)
Compare the following sentences:
It is ten days since I arrived.
It was ten days ago that (or when) I arrived.
It was in China where (or that) we met.
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c. It can also be used:
1) As the subject, to indicate weather, time, or distance:
a) It was fine (cold, cloudy; rained, froze, snowed, threatened to rain, was blowing hard, lightened and, thundered).
b) It was ten o'clock (still early, getting dark, time to go, Sunday, spring morning, too long, three years. now, long long ago).
c) It is too (so) far (two miles away, within 300 meters of the bridge, far far away, a long way, instead of far).
2) As the object, not representing anything but giving the sentence a certain flavor, with some colloquial undertones:
a) As the object of a verb:
Hefooted it through the muddy road (hikedit, ran it, walked it to the town; lordedit over them, dukedit, bossedit; roughedit, piggedit; fought it out, battledit, had it out with Mary; took it out of (or on) John, gave it (hot) to her; will catch it, had it in the face; brazenedit out, bravedit out; chancedit)."Go it!" cheered the audience. You are coming (or going) it too strong. Don't draw it strong, draw it mild. He had it his own way, would have it that I was wrong. As (ill) luck would have it, her brother died. As he put it, "No money, no talk." Take it easy. As I take it, he knows nothing. Hang it all! Deuce take it! Damnit! Dashit! Bother it!
b) As the object of the preposition of or for:
He had a hard time of it, made a jolly life of it, had the best (the worst) of it.
He made a bolt for it, had to run for it.
Though he had done nothing, he was in for it.
He was hard put to it.
3) As the subject, representing the same person as the subject, often used with a linking verb and a phrase introduced by "with":
It is well with her. (Compare: She is well.)
It is all over (or up) with us.
It is always so with children. (Compare: Children are always like that.)
It fared well with me.
How is it with your family?
It seems to be the case with women.
4) Other cases:
a) "Who is it?" "It is me. It cannot be John. Is this Mr. Huntington?" "It is." (It is used to refer to an identity that is not yet clear, often not translated into Chinese, e.g., the above sentence can be translated as: "Who is it?" "It is me." "It cannot be John." "Yes.")
b) What a pretty girl it is! (Used in exclamations to express intimacy.)
What a pretty girl!
What an ass it is! (Used in exclamations to express contempt.)
What a fool!
c) It says in the Bible (or the newspapers) that... (Better to say: "The Bible says...")
d) He is really 'it' (= a stupid fellow, or an important person).
She is really 'it' (= a sexy girl).
That is it (= Something I want to know).
That is about it (= nearly the case).
That must be it.
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d. In some cases, it can be omitted.
1) Omitted as the object:
Idon't know what it is, but I'll find out.
"Whohas come?" "Idon't know."
"How is it done?" "They will show. Isay. Ican't say. Iwill try. Iwill not give up."
Idon't understand." "Iwillexplain!"
Idon't hear. Idon't notice. Youcan ask him. Ican't tell. Iforget. Idon't remember, because Idon't mind.
You will see. Nobodycandeny. Icannotrefuse, Imustaccept.
2) Omitted as the subject:
(It)Seemseasy.
(It)Soundsfunny.
(It)Doesn'tmatter.
(It)Lookslikeweareokay, but...
(Itis)Mymistake.
(Itis)Verykindofyoutoseeme.
(Itis)Often omitted.