Line英会話クラス

Lesson Plan February 3, 2023

Topic: There … & It …

In this lesson we will be looking at how we use there … and it … when talking about something.

Section A

We use there … when we talk about something for the first time, to say that something exists

• There’s a new restaurant near the station. (NOT A new restaurant is near the station)

• I’m sorry I’m late. There was a train delay.

• Things are more expensive now. There has been a big rise in the cost of living.

We use it … for a specific thing, place, fact, situation etc

• We went to the new restaurant near the station. It’s very good. (It = the restaurant)

• I wasn’t expecting them to come. It was a complete surprise. (It = that they came)

Compare there and it

• I don’t care for this hotel. There’s nothing to do here. It’s a boring place.

There also means to / at / in that place

• When we got to the theatre, there were already a lot of people there. (= at the theatre)

Section B

You can say there will be / there must be / there might be / there used to be etc

• Will we be busy tomorrow? Will there be much to do?

• A: Is there a train to Hakone this weekend?
  B: There might be. I’ll check the website.

• If people didn’t walk while looking at their smartphones, there wouldn’t be so many accidents.

Also we can say there must have been / there should have been etc

• My ticket says 9am platform 2, it’s now five after nine, there should have been a train here already.

Compare there and it

• They live on a busy road. There must be a lot of noise from the traffic.

• They live on a busy road. It must be very noisy.

• There used to be a cinema here, but it closed a few years ago.

• That building is now a supermarket, it used to be a cinema.

You can also say there is (sure / bound) (=sure) / likely to be

• There’s sure to be a train to Hakone tonight.

  • There’s bound to be …

  • There’s likely to be …

• There’s a Romance Car to Hakone, but it’s sure to be full. (it = the Romance Car)

  • … it’s bound to be full

  • … it likely to be full.

Lesson Notes

Compare these situations:

We use present perfect to say that something in the past is connected with the present.

• Have you gone out with your family for dinner? (= You are visiting your family now, did you go out for dinner)

• It has been chilly for many days in Japan. (= It was chilly and still is chilly)

We use simple past for actions that have been completed.

• Did you go out with your family for dinner? (= You visited your family and did you go out for dinner)

• It was chilly last week