word meaning - Difference between "idiot" and "dummy"?
Although idiot and dummy do commonly have the same meaning, the use of idiot in this joking phrase draws particular attention to a specific sense of idiot. From Merriam-Webster's …
pronouns - What exactly is a dummy-it? - English Language …
Dec 12, 2023 · "Dummy it refers to nothing at all; it simply serves a grammatical function. In other words, dummy it has a grammatical meaning but no lexical meaning." Here, there are clear …
"There is some" or "There are some"- which is correct?
Nov 4, 2022 · By the time the real subject comes along, plural or not, the listener will've forgotten how the sentence started. Since it didn't start with anything meaningful except the dummy …
Are dummy subject and impersonal subject the same?
Apr 20, 2016 · It is sunny. (impersonal subject) It is difficult to learn English. (dummy subject or place holder) In Korea, we learn that dummy subject and impersonal subject are different. But, …
grammar - why we need dummy subjects and it's usage? - English …
Oct 28, 2017 · Here is my question. If something exists in some place then we use adverbs of place. So adverbs can fulfill the use of existence or presence of something. Then why we need …
It - Preparatory subject - English Language Learners Stack Exchange
May 3, 2024 · A preparatory subject is a placeholder noun used before the actual subject (infinitive expression, a clause) is introduced in the sentence. It looks as if we're going to have …
word meaning - "Hi there!" -- What does this 'there' mean?
Jan 5, 2016 · Footnote: "there" isn't the dummy subject in these greetings. "There" is a dummy subject mostly in constructions there is or there are, or before certain verbs in certain contexts.
Using "they" in tag questions with everybody/nobody etc
Jun 9, 2021 · In English, existential clauses usually use the dummy subject construction (also known as expletive) with there, as in "There are boys in the yard"… In the OP's sentence, the …
pronouns - English Language Learners Stack Exchange
Sep 20, 2023 · It's not a dummy as it does actually refer to something specific. The second is the same, although calling it anticipatory seems a bit odd. Both could be rewritten as "You joining …
It's good to see you. What's the meaning of 'it' in 'It's good to ...'?
Mar 17, 2025 · This question is similar to: How can I tell whether an "it" is a dummy "it" in this sentence?. If you believe it’s different, please edit the question, make it clear how it’s different …