Alexey86
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2018
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- Student or Learner
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- Russian
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- Russian Federation
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Hello! In my previous thread I wrote: "Down the straightaway = at the far side (back) of the straightaway. Is it correct?"
GoesStation corrected the question to "Is that correct?" with the following explanation: "This and that point at something — in this case, text that's nearby or at least a little further away. It has no sense of directionality. When you ask whether "it's" correct, the reader wonders "Is what correct? Some random idea?" When you specify "this", I know that you're asking about something nearby."
I thought 'it' could also refer to a previous sentence/utterance/idea/thought. Swan says (Practical English Usage, Fourth Edition, unit 145):
"This, that and it can all be used to refer back to things or situations that have just been talked or written about. It does not give any special emphasis.
So she decided to paint her house pink. It upset the neighbours a bit.
This and that are more emphatic; they 'shine a light', so to speak, on the things or situations, suggesting 'an interesting new fact has been mentioned'.
So she decided to paint her house pink. This/That really upset the neighbours, as you can imagine.
...
It is used only to refer to things which are 'in focus' - which have already been talked about. This is preferred when we 'bring things into focus' before anything has been said about them. Compare:
I enjoyed 'Vampires' Picnic'. It/This is a film for all the family...
'Vampires' Picnic': This is a film for all the family...(NOT It is a film for all the family...)
Doesn't my original example fit this explanation? I mean 'it' is just less emphatic than 'that' but not wrong.
GoesStation corrected the question to "Is that correct?" with the following explanation: "This and that point at something — in this case, text that's nearby or at least a little further away. It has no sense of directionality. When you ask whether "it's" correct, the reader wonders "Is what correct? Some random idea?" When you specify "this", I know that you're asking about something nearby."
I thought 'it' could also refer to a previous sentence/utterance/idea/thought. Swan says (Practical English Usage, Fourth Edition, unit 145):
"This, that and it can all be used to refer back to things or situations that have just been talked or written about. It does not give any special emphasis.
So she decided to paint her house pink. It upset the neighbours a bit.
This and that are more emphatic; they 'shine a light', so to speak, on the things or situations, suggesting 'an interesting new fact has been mentioned'.
So she decided to paint her house pink. This/That really upset the neighbours, as you can imagine.
...
It is used only to refer to things which are 'in focus' - which have already been talked about. This is preferred when we 'bring things into focus' before anything has been said about them. Compare:
I enjoyed 'Vampires' Picnic'. It/This is a film for all the family...
'Vampires' Picnic': This is a film for all the family...(NOT It is a film for all the family...)
Doesn't my original example fit this explanation? I mean 'it' is just less emphatic than 'that' but not wrong.
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