Exercise 1. Rewrite these sentences beginning It.... Rewrite them only if the It... sentence would be appropriate in written English; otherwise write X and consider why they would be inappropriate.
1. To drive a car without a licence is illegal. It is illegal to drive, a. car without a Licence.
2. That she wasn't hurt in the fall was a miracle.
3. Their decision was a serious setback.
4. Where the light was coming from was far from clear.
5. The announcement is to be made this evening.
6. That you already know my secret is obvious.
7. If the two countries don't reach an agreement soon will be surprising.
8. The parcel I was expecting has arrived.
Exercise 2. Match the sentences and write ones beginning with It...that..., as in 1. Anumber of alternative answers are possible.
| 1. The President will be re-elected. 2. Beckman had a wrist injury for most of the match. 3. This was to be the band's last world tour. 4. Jacobs possessed three handguns. 5. People are happy with the quality of supermarket food. |
a) This transpired during the trial. b) This follows from the results of the survey. c) This appears likely. d) This seemed to be the case. e) This emerged after the concert. |
Example: 1 + Co) It appears likely that the President will be re-elected.
Exercise 3. Expand one of the sets of notes to continue these newspaper extracts. Use a sentence with It, a present passive verb form, and a to-infinitive, that-, or wh-clause.
believe / men escaped through / broken window plan / hold / competition again next year not yet understand / accident happened hope - / -the - work- / - completed - by - next - month- expect / around 100, 000 people / attend the rally not know / the robbery was not reported earlier
1. Major repair work is continuing on the Channel Tunnel. It is Hoped that the woik will be completed by next month.
2. The organisers have hailed the first world skateboarding championships as a great success.
3. Police have confirmed that the painting was taken last week.
4. An anti-fox hunting protest will be held in London today.
5. More than 20 inmates escaped from Leyton top security jail last night.
6. Two light aircraft collided on the runway at Orly Airport yesterday.
Exercise 4. What personal or physical characteristics are needed to...? (Use It takes... in your answers.) climb a mountain teach small children go bungee jumping learn a foreign language
Example: It takes a lot of stamina, to climb a. mountain.
KEYS 1.
1.
2. It was a miracle that she wasn't hurt in the fall.
3. X
4. It was far from clear where the light was coming from.
5. X
6. It is obvious that you already know my secret.
7. It will be surprising if the two countries don't reach an agreement soon.
8. X
(In spoken English we might say:
3. It was a serious drawback, their decision.;
5. It's to be made this evening, the announcement.;
8. It's arrived, the parcel I was expecting. However, these are unlikely in written English.)
2. Most likely answers:
1.
2. + d) It seemed to be the case that Beckman had a wrist injury for most of the match.
3. + e) It emerged after the concert that this was to be the band's last world tour.
4. + a) It transpired during the trial that Jacobs possessed three handguns.
5. + b) It follows from the results of the survey that people are happy with the quality of supermarket food. (These sentences would be more likely in written than in spoken English.)
3
1.
2. It is planned to hold the competition again next year.
3. It is not known why the robbery was not reported earlier.
4. It is expected that around 100,000 will attend the rally.
5. It is believed that the men escaped through a broken window.
6. It is not yet understood how the accident happened.
4 .Example answers:
1.
2. It takes considerable patience to teach small children.
3. It takes courage to go bungee jumping.
4. It takes a lot of application to learn a foreign language.
