English clauses always have a subject: 英語句子總是只有一個主語

His father has just retired. Was a teacher. >He was a teacher.

I’m waiting for my wife. Is late. >She is late.

Look at the time! Is half past two.> It’s half past two.

except for the imperative 除了祈使句

Go away.

Play it again please.

If we have no other subject we use there or it. 如果沒有別的主語，我們可以用there或者it。

there

（1）· to introduce a new topic: 介紹一個新話題

There is a meeting this evening. It will start at seven.

There has been an accident. I hope no one is hurt.

（2）· with numbers or quantities: 關于數字或數量

There was a lot of rain last night.

There must have been more than five hundred in the audience.

（3）· to say where something is: 介紹某物在哪里

There used to be a playground at the end of the street.

There are fairiesat the bottom of the garden.

I wonder if there will be anyone at home.

It

We use it to talk about: 我們用it去談論

（1）· times and dates: 時間和日期

It’s nearly one o’clock.

It’s my birthday.

（2）· weather: 天氣

It’s raining.

It’s a lovely day.

It was getting cold.

（3）· to give an opinion about a place: 說一個關于某地的意見

It’s very cold in here.

It will be nice when we get home.

It’s very comfortable in my new apartment.

Using "it" to talk about people 用it談論人們

（1）· on the telephone: 講電話時

Hello. It’s George.

（2）· when people cannot see us: 當人們看不到我們時

[Mary knocks on door] It’s me. It’s Mary.

We use it to talk about other people:

（1）· when we point them out for the first time: 當我們第一次指出別人時

Look. It’s Sir Paul McCartney.

Who’s that? I think it’s John’s brother.

（2）· when we cannot see them and we ask them for their name: 當我們第一次問別人名字時

[telephone rings, we pick it up] Hello. Who is it?

[someone knocks on door. We say:] Who is it?