The empty subjects there and it are placeholder words used in English grammar to fill the subject position of a sentence when the true information or subject appears later. This comprehensive guide explores how to master existential "there" clauses and empty "it" structures for advanced sentence building.
What is the Use of There as an Empty Subject?
The verb be does not usually have a subject with a/an or some.
A sentence like A Chinese restaurant is round the corner is possible but unusual.
A phrase with a/an is usually new information, and so it comes later in the sentence.
Where can we eat? ~ There's a Chinese restaurant round the corner.
We put there in the subject position so that a Chinese restaurant can come after the verb. There + be expresses the idea that something exists.
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There + Be: More Details
We use the pattern in sentences with adverbials of place, time and other meanings.
There was a furniture van outside the house.
There's a concert next week. There are some letters for you.
We can use there + be without an adverbial. This happens with nouns expressing a situation or event.
I'm afraid there's a problem. (= A problem exists.)
There's been an accident. (= An accident has happened.)
NOTE
The adverbial is sometimes understood from the context.
You know this party we're going to. Will there be anyfood (at the party)?
We normally use there + be before a noun phrase which is new information. This noun phrase has an indefinite meaning. It can have a/an, some, any, no or a number, or it can be a noun on its own. It can also have one of these quantifiers: a lot of/lots of many, much, few, little; a good/great deal of, a number of, several; more, another, other, others; enough, plenty of.
There are some drawing-pins in my desk.
There are seven days in a week.
There was dust everywhere.
There's far too much traffic on the roads.
There will be a number of tasks to carry out.
Is there any more tea in the pot?
There isn't enough memory in the computer.
The noun phrase does not usually have the, this/that etc or my/your etc, which refer to definite things known from the context.
NOTE
We can use the in this pattern when we remind someone of the existence of something specific.
What can I stand on to reach the light bulb? ~ Well, there's the stepladder.
We form negatives and questions in the normal way. There wasn't a van outside the house.
Are there any letters for me?
We can use there in a question tag.
There's a concert next week, isn't there?
After there, the verb agrees with its complement.
There is a letter / There are some letters for you.
The subject there is not the same at the adverb there (= in that place).
There was a van there, outside the house.
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How to Use There with Other Verb Forms
There can also be the subject of an infinitive or ing-form.
I didn't expect there to be such a crowd.
The village is very isolated, there being no bus service.
But this is rather literary. A finite clause is more usual.
didn't expect (that) there would be such a crowd.
The village is very isolated because there's no bus service.
There + Be with Relative Clauses
We can put an active or passive participle after the noun phrase.
There was a van blocking the road.
( = A van was blocking the road.)
There was a van parked outside the house.
( = A van was parked outside the house.)
But we use a finite relative clause for a single action.
There was a noise that woke me up.
We also use a finite clause when the pronoun is not the subject.
There's a small matter which we need to discuss.
NOTE
There is a small matter to discuss/to be discussed.
Using There with Other Verbs
We use the subject there mostly with the verb be. Some other verbs are possible, but only in a formal or literary style.
On top of the hill there stands an ancient church tower.
There now follows a party political broadcast.
The next day there occurred a strange incident.
Verbs in this pattern are: arise, arrive, come, emerge, enter, exist, follow, lie, live, occur, remain, result, sit, stand, take place.
NOTE
We can use seem, appear, happen, chance, turn out, prove and tend with to be.
There doesn't seem to be enough memory in the computer.
There proved to be no truth in the rumour.
There appears to have been an accident.
We can sometimes use a noun phrase after seem, especially one with little or no.
There seemed (to be) little difference between the two alternatives.
There seems (to be) no reason for alarm.
What is the Empty Subject It?
A clause like to make new friends or that so few people came can be the subject of a sentence, but this is not very usual. Instead, we normally use it as subject, and the clause comes later in the sentence.
It's difficult to make new friends.
( = To make new friends is difficult.)
It was a pity so few people came.
( = That so few people came was a pity.)
It amazes me how much money some people earn. (= How much money some people earn amazes me.)
Because the clause is long, it comes more naturally at the end of the sentence than at the beginning.
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With a gerund clause we use both patterns.
Making new friends is difficult./It's difficult making new friends.
It can also be an empty object in the pattern subject + verb + it + complement + clause.
I find it difficult to make new friends.
We all thought it a pity so few people came.
The government has made it clear that no money will be available.
It can also be an empty subject before seem, appear, happen, chance, turn out and prove.
It seems the phone is out of order.
( = The phone seems to be out of order.)
It happened that I had my camera with me at the time. (= I happened to have my camera with me at the time.)
This pattern with it is a little formal.
There is also the pattern it looks/seems as if/as though.
It looks as if we're going to get some snow.
For It is said that...
We can use it+ be before a phrase in order to emphasize it.
It's the phone (not the doorbell) that's out of order.
It can also refer to the environment, the weather, the time or distance.
It's getting dark.
It was cold yesterday.
Is it five o'clock yet?
It's only a short walk to the beach.
There or It? Key Differences
There + be expresses the fact that something exists or happens.
It + be identifies or describes something, says what it is or what it is like. We use there with a noun phrase of indefinite meaning, e.g. a young lady, something. It refers to something definite, e.g. the young lady, something known in the situation. It can also refer forward to a clause.
there
There's a young lady at the door. (= A young lady is at the door.)
There's a wind today. (= A wind is blowing.) There weren't any classes. (= No classes took place.)
There isn't any truth in the story.
( = The story has no truth in it).
it
It's Lorraine.
( = The young lady is Lorraine.)
Yes, it's windy.
( = The weather is windy.)
It was Saturday.
( = The day was Saturday.)
It isn't true what they say. (= What they say isn't true.)
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Key Takeaways
- There + be is used to introduce new information and express that something exists.
- The verb after there agrees with its true complement noun phrase.
- The empty subject it can replace long subject clauses or gerunds, shifting them to the end of the sentence.
- It is also used for weather, time, distance, environment, and cleft sentences for emphasis.
Quick Practice
Test your understanding of empty subjects by trying these exercises. Write your answers in the comments below!
- Fill in the blank: "_____ is a supermarket round the corner." (there / it)
- Fill in the blank: "_____ is getting dark outside." (there / it)
FAQ
What is the main difference between there and it as empty subjects?
There is used with indefinite noun phrases to state that something exists or happens, whereas it is used to identify or describe specific things, weather, time, or to shift long clauses to the end of a sentence.
Can we use verbs other than 'be' with 'there'?
Yes, but mostly in formal or literary styles with verbs like stand, occur, follow, exist, and arrive.
Why do we use empty subjects in English?
Empty subjects allow us to place new or heavy information later in the sentence for better flow and natural information structure.