The uses of the word It are various, and very perplexing
to the uneducated. It is not only used to imply persons, but things,
and even, ideas, and therefore, in speaking or writing, its
assistance is constantly required. The perplexity respecting this
word arises from the fact that in using it in the construction of a
long sentence, sufficient care is not taken to ensure that when
it is employed it really points out or refers to the object
intended. For instance, "It was raining when John set out in his
cart to go to the market, and he was delayed so long that it was
over before he arrived." Now what is to be understood by this
sentence? Was the rain over? or the market? Either or both might be
inferred from the construction of the sentence, which, therefore,
should be written thus:— "It was raining when John set out in his
cart to go to the market, and he was delayed so long that the market
was over before he arrived."
Rule.—After writing a sentence always look through it,
and see that wherever the word It is employed, it refers to or
carries the mind back to the object which it is intended to point
out.
The general distinction between This and That may
be thus defined: this denotes an object present or near, in
time or place, that something which is absent.
These refers, in the same manner, to present objects,
while those refers to things that are remote.
Who changes, under certain conditions, into whose
and whom. But that and which always remain the
same.
That may be applied to nouns or subjects of all sorts; as,
the girl that went to school, the dog that bit me, the
ship that went to London, the opinion that he
entertains.
The misuse of these pronouns gives rise to more errors in
speaking and writing than any other cause.
When you wish to distinguish between two or more persons, say,
"Which is the happy man?"—not who—"Which of
those ladies do you admire?"
Instead of "Who do you think him to be?"—say,
"Whom do you think him to be?"