Natalia
What's the difference in cases of usage "that" and "it" as a subject or object pronoun? Dear English native speakers or just people who can help me! :) What's the difference in these two cases of usage: "It's an amazing place. It's good. It's a beautiful day." and "That's an amazing place. That's good. That's a beautiful day." How to say correctly? And in general when we have to use "that" and can we use "it" in sentences as a subject or object pronoun?
Dec 18, 2014 5:18 PM
Answers · 15
3
'It' is used for a known and unambiguous subject. For example: What do you think of Prague? It's an amazing place. 'That' is often used to distinguish between one subject and another. For example: I went to Hamburg, Munich, and then to Prague. Prague? Now, that's an amazing place. This means that the first two places aren't amazing in the speaker's opinion, but the third is. Or look at the difference between: Do want to try this soup I've made? What do you think? Mmmm. It's good. and Do want to try this soup I've made? What do you think? Hmmm. It needs some more salt. OK, let's put some salt in. There. Try it again. Hmmm. Still not enough. OK, I'll put a bit more in. How's that? Mmmm. That's good. 'That' indicates that it wasn't good the other times, but it is now. You'd say 'That's a beautiful picture' to indicate which picture you thought was beautiful ('that one' as opposed to the other pictures in the gallery). However, I don't think we'd ever say 'That's a beautiful day'. Why? Because in life, we only have one day at a time, so we only say 'It's a beautiful day', meaning the day we are having at the moment.
December 18, 2014
3
This is a very good question. Let me try and answer and others can jump in to help. As subject pronouns they are very close in meaning. "It" is a more general term. In some cases, there may be a fine distinction. I think "it" tends to be used with things are are more closely related to the speaker or the current time and "that" for things more associated with the other person, or the past or future, but this isn't a hard rule. There is some sense that you are "pointing at" or "focusing on" something when you use "that". It's an amazing place - the place I am talking about That's an amazing place - the place you were talking about, It is a beautiful day. - today is beautiful That is a beautiful day - not used except in some specific situations That was a beautiful day/it was a beautiful day - a day in the past was beautiful. The explanation for object pronouns is similar. (I've just puzzled over this for quite some time so I hope it's helpful.)
December 18, 2014
2
It's a bit subtle: "it" is the 'singular, neuter, personal pronoun' and "that" is a "demonstrative pronoun". What this means, is that you use "that" to be selective of something. So to take your examples: "It is an amazing place." -- usually, after you've introduced the subject, you can carry on with 'it'. "That is an amazing place." -- usually, you use it in response to somebody else, and using it for emphasis. "It's good." -- again, you introduced it and carried on with 'it'. "That's good." -- you're emphasizing that 'one part' is good, or in agreement with something else. "It's a beautiful day." -- this is typical. "That's a beautiful day." -- this probably wouldn't be said by a native speaker in the present tense, unless there's special emphasis, and it would probably be in the past tense: "That was a beautiful day." However, whichever one you use, you will be understood, so try not to worry about it!
December 18, 2014
Over here in Ireland we say things like "that's some day!", "that's a class day!", or "that's an unreal day!" all the time. I've never studied English grammar though, so I don't know the technicalities of it all.
December 18, 2014
that is using for live or dead for example that is a boy. we can write like this that is a pen. and it is using for dead objects. for example it is a book. It is not used for a person.
December 18, 2014
Show more
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!