Analyzing and Interpreting Literature / Unit 2 AIL 0135 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Empty It
Captions available
The idea
It rains has no referent for it, and the construction extends further in older writing. It likes me not means I do not like it. Treating every it as pointing at something named is a steady source of misreading.
In practice
Some its point at nothing.
Where people slip
Do not hunt a referent that is absent.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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