Meaning
Extraposed subject structure used to evaluate a proposition, often to express likelihood, necessity, or desirability before stating it.
Primary Function
Evaluative framing
Communicative Purpose
To foreground an evaluation (likelihood, desirability, necessity) before stating the proposition.
Pattern
It is; that
Core Structure
It is; that
Função primária
Evaluative framing
Propósito comunicativo
To foreground an evaluation (likelihood, desirability, necessity) before stating the proposition.
Situações de gatilho
Giving an opinion, making a judgement, academic hedging.
Contextos
Formal writing, presentations, academic argument, measured conversation.
Padrão
It is; that
Estrutura central
It is; that
Slots de substituição
Adjective (important, essential, necessary, vital, likely, possible, clear, true, doubtful, surprising, disappointing, interesting, remarkable); clause content
Colocados típicos
- essential
- important
- necessary
- vital
- likely
- possible
- clear
- true
- doubtful
- surprising
- disappointing
- interesting
- remarkable
Substituições comuns
- It seems that (less formal)
- It appears that (more formal)
Erros comuns
Using an embedded clause without 'that' in formal English; e.g., *It is essential he comes* (acceptable but less formal).
Similar / contraste
There is a reason that, What matters is
Interferências
Some L1s use ‘is important that’ without ‘it’ (e.g., Spanish es importante que).
Família do chunk
- anticipatory-it evaluative frames
Nuance
Moves the real subject to the end for end‑weight and signals objectivity, sounding measured and authoritative.
Efeito pragmático
Depersonalises evaluation; conveys a neutral, authoritative stance on likelihood or necessity.
Dica de memória
“It is + adjective + that…”
Nota
This structure is commonly used in formal and academic writing to present a proposition with an evaluative adjective, with the main clause following 'that'.
Upgrade path
Extend with modalised versions “It may well be crucial that…”
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