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What Are Impersonal Constructions?
Impersonal constructions are grammatical structures where the subject does not refer to a specific person or thing. Instead, they use a dummy or empty subject, most often it or there, just to fill the subject position required by English grammar. In other words, the subject has no real meaning — it is simply a grammatical tool.
Simple Examples to Get Started
- It is raining. — There is no real ‘it’ doing anything. ‘It’ is just a placeholder.
- There is a problem. — ‘There’ does not refer to a place here. It just introduces the sentence.
- It seems that she is tired. — Again, ‘it’ has no concrete meaning.
These sentences are very common in English. You probably use them every day without realising they follow a special grammar pattern!
The Key Elements of Impersonal Constructions in English
Let us look at the main building blocks of this grammar concept.
1. The Dummy Subject ‘It’
The word ‘it’ is used as a subject when there is no real actor in the sentence. This happens in several situations:
- Weather and time: It is cold today. It is midnight.
- Distance: It is five kilometres to the city centre.
- With adjectives and clauses: It is important that you study. It is clear that he lied.
- With reporting verbs: It is said that he is very rich. It was believed that the Earth was flat.
2. The Existential ‘There’
The word ‘there’ is used to introduce the existence of something. It is always followed by a form of the verb ‘to be’.
- There is a cat on the roof.
- There are many reasons to learn English.
- There was no water left.
Be careful: the verb agrees with the noun that follows it, not with ‘there’.
| Sentence | Verb form | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| There is a book. | is (singular) | because ‘a book’ is singular |
| There are three books. | are (plural) | because ‘three books’ is plural |
| There was a problem. | was (past singular) | because ‘a problem’ is singular |
3. Passive Impersonal Structures
English also uses impersonal constructions with passive verbs and reporting structures. These are very common in formal and academic writing.
- It is known that exercise is good for health.
- It has been reported that prices will rise.
- It is expected that the results will be positive.
This structure follows a simple pattern: It + passive verb + that + clause.
Why Impersonal Constructions Matter
You might wonder: why do I need to learn this? Here are some very good reasons.
- They make your English sound natural. Native speakers use these structures all the time. If you avoid them, your English may sound unnatural or too direct.
- They are essential in formal writing. In essays, reports, and academic texts, impersonal constructions help you write in an objective, professional tone.
- They help you express general ideas. Instead of saying ‘people think that…’, you can say ‘it is thought that…’, which sounds more neutral and authoritative.
- They appear in news, science, and business English. Mastering them will help you understand and produce professional texts.
Comparison with Other Languages
If you speak French or Spanish, you may find some similarities — but also some important differences.
| Concept | French | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weather | Il pleut. (It rains.) | Llueve. (No subject needed.) | It is raining. (Subject required.) |
| Existence | Il y a un problème. | Hay un problema. | There is a problem. |
| Impersonal opinion | Il est important de… | Es importante que… | It is important to / that… |
In Spanish, the verb can stand alone without a subject (called a ‘pro-drop’ language). In French and English, a subject is always required. However, French ‘il’ and English ‘it’ work in a very similar way in impersonal sentences. English simply requires this placeholder subject more strictly.
A Full Example in Context
Let us read a short paragraph that uses several impersonal constructions naturally:
‘It is well known that learning a new language takes time. There are many methods available, but it is often said that regular practice is the most effective. It has been shown that students who read every day make faster progress. There is no magic solution, but it is clear that effort and consistency make a real difference.’
Can you spot all the impersonal constructions? Here they are:
- It is well known that… — passive impersonal
- There are many methods… — existential ‘there’
- It is often said that… — passive impersonal
- It has been shown that… — passive impersonal
- There is no magic solution… — existential ‘there’
- It is clear that… — impersonal with adjective
Key Takeaways
- Impersonal constructions use a dummy subject (‘it’ or ‘there’) with no real meaning.
- ‘It’ is used for weather, time, distance, and with adjectives or reporting verbs.
- ‘There’ introduces the existence of something and is followed by ‘to be’.
- Passive impersonal structures (It is said that…) are common in formal English.
- English always requires a subject, unlike some other languages like Spanish.
- Mastering these structures will make your English more natural, accurate, and professional.
Sources
- Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., & Svartvik, J. (1985). A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman.
- Huddleston, R., & Pullum, G. K. (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge University Press.
- Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage. Oxford University Press.