Impersonal sentences

Якщо треба висловити думку, яка в українській мові виражається безособовим реченням (Літо. Холодно. Важливо це зробити.), треба відповідне англійське речення почати з формального слова-підмета ‘It’, а за ним поставити дієслово-зв’язку (be, get, become, grow).

It is autumn.

It is getting cold here.

It is important to solve this problem.

При вираженні явищ природи (Іде дощ. Сніг припинився.), слова ‘rain, snow, sleet, drizzle, pour, hail, pelt, drip’ вживаються як дієслова, які треба поставити після підмета ‘It’.

It often rains in this region.

Примітка: Ці дієслова можуть вживатись в різних часових формах.

It snowed heavily yesterday.

It will snow soon.

It hasn’t rained for three days.

Is it still sleeting?

How long has it been drizzling?

Для того, щоб висловити, скільки часу пішло (піде) на виконання якої-небудь дії, після підмета ‘It’ потрібно поставити дієслово ‘take’, за ним – позначення часу, а потім – назву дії, яку треба виконати, у формі інфінітиву із часткою ‘to’.

It usually takes me three hours to do the flat.

How long did it take you to get to the station?

It will take us about a fortnight to arrange everything for the expedition.

Exercises

Exercise 90. Answer the questions as in the model. Use the suggested words.

Model A: – When does it often rain? (autumn)

– It often rains in autumn.

1. When does it often snow? (winter)

2. When does it often freeze? (January)

3. When does it often thaw? (April)

4. When does it sometimes hail? (summer)

5. When does it often drizzle? (October)

Model B: – When is it often cold? (winter)

– It is often cold in winter.

1. When is it often warm? (spring)

2. When is it often hot? (July)

3. When is it often slippery? (winter)

4. When is it often windy? (autumn)

5. When is it often muddy? (November)

Exercise 91. Answer the questions as in the model. Use the suggested words.

Model: Why don’t you go skating? (snow)

– Because it’s snowing heavily.

1. Why didn’t she go for a walk yesterday? (rain)

2. Why don’t you take your little son to the country? (freeze)

3. Why didn’t they go skating on Sunday? (thaw)

4. Why didn’t you go to the lake? (hail)

5. Why did you stay at home the whole day last Saturday? (rain cats and dogs)

6. Why doesn’t she wear her new shoes? (snow)

7. Why didn’t he go out yesterday? (drizzle)

8. Why doesn’t he go cycling? (rain)

9. Why don’t they go to the forest? (thunder)

10. Why was the football match put off? (pour with rain)

Exercise 92. Express your agreement as in the model.

Model: There was a lot of sun in the afternoon.

– Yes, it was sunny in the afternoon.

1. There was a heavy frost last night.

2. There was a sharp wind yesterday.

3. There were many clouds in the sky in the morning.

4. There is a chill in the air today.

5. There was much rain last summer.

6. There is much dust on the road.

7. There was thick fog on Monday.

8. There is much mud in the street.

Exercise 93. Say how much time it takes (took, will take) to do the following. Follow the model. Use the suggested words.

Model: He got to his office in time. (an hour)

– It took him an hour to get to his office.

1. She quickly reached the station. (fifteen minutes)

2. Mrs Green wrote this book. (two years)

3. They will soon pack their things. (half an hour)

4. They will re-paper their rooms. (three days)

5. Alice cleaned the rooms and the bathroom. (two hours)

6. She prepared cornflakes for breakfast. (half an hour)

7. Jack shaves twice a day. (fifteen minutes)

8. Chris has grown a beard. (three years)

9. Mother did the washing up. (twenty minutes)

10. Susan learned Japanese. (five years)

Exercise 94. Express your disagreement as in the model.

Model: It was extremely cold last night.

– Oh, no, it was rather warm.

1. It cost him $10 to repair the car.

2. It is not far from London to our village.

3. It’s great fun to be in Dick’s company.

4. It’s a beautiful day today.

5. It’s too cold to go swimming.

6. It’ll soon be breakfast time.

7. It costs much to hire a car.

8. It was a great pleasure to take part in the excursion.

9. It’s too wet to play tennis.

10. It’s Thursday today.

Exercise 95. Express your surprise as in the model.

Model: It took Jane the whole day to mend the dress.

– Did it really take Jane the whole day to mend the dress?

1. It was be rude to turn down his invitation.

2. It’s a great mistake to trust this man.

3. It is pouring with rain.

4. It’s expensive to buy this house.

5. It’s silly to waste your time on such trifles.

6. It was painful to watch her efforts to climb the stairs.

7. It’s against the rules to keep a copy of this document.

8. It took her years to understand how wrong she had been.

9. It often snows in January.

10. It takes me ten minutes to get to work.

Exercise 96. Say whether it is forbidden or allowed to do the following things.

Model: – It is forbidden to smoke here.

– It is allowed to walk on the grass in English parks.

1. drink alcohol in Saudi Arabia

2. speak to the driver while the bus is moving

3. wear jeans to a formal dinner

4. read in bed

5. smoke in a restaurant

6. leave the classroom during the lesson whenever you wish

7. swim in the sea during the storm

8. feed animals in the Zoo

9. talk loudly with your neighbour during the lesson

10. speak during the dinner with your mouth full

Exercise 97. Say whether it will be easy (difficult, foolish, a shame, a pity, a pleasure) to do the following.

Model: choose the right colour

– It won’t be easy to choose the right colour.

1. live without electricity

2. find some parking place

3. ski down the mountain

4. stick the broken pieces of the cup together

5. learn to drive a car

6. betray your friends

7. buy a ticket to a rock concert

8. learn Chinese

9. criticize other people

10. bring up children

Exercise 98. Memorize the following proverbs.

1. It is always darkest before the dawn.

2. It is better to be a has-been than a never-was.

3. It is easy to be wise after the event.

4. It is never too late to learn.

5. It is too late to lock the stable-door when the horse is stolen.

6. It never rains but it pours.

7. It takes all sorts to make a world.

Exercise 99. Translate the following.

1. У кімнаті душно. Відчини вікно. 2. Коли стає темно в листопаді? 3. Мені важко виконувати цю роботу самому(самій). 4. Безглуздо так поводити себе. 5. В жовтні дощ був всього один чи два рази. 6. Стає жарко. Ходимо купатись на річку. 7. Це була дуже важка робота. В мене пішов цілий день, щоб зробити її. 8. Тобі подобається, коли йде сніг? – Так, дуже подобається. Але я не люблю, коли йде сніг з дощем. 9. Мені не буде важко прибрати всі кімнати. 10. Скільки часу в тебе йде, щоб дістатись до школи?

Exercise 100. Translate the following.

1. Коли тут нарешті буде станція метро? 2. Над озером і над долиною були густі чорні хмари. 3. Чи є щось таке, що я можу зробити для тебе? 4. Дощу не було вже два тижні. Дуже сухо. 5. Після п’ятої години буде ще один потяг. 6. Чому вікно відчинено? Хіба зараз не холодно? 7. Коли нам стане легко читати англійські книжки в оригіналі? 8. Соромно говорити такі речи. 9. Так приємно й затишно в цій кімнаті. 10. Жила колись в густому лісі зла відьма.