Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[jasonlulu_2000]

---He is over 60.
---But he doesn't look _____.
A. it B. that
Which one is more suitable? WHY?

Could anyone tell me the difference between "IT" and "THAT" in referring to a thing mentioned before?


MANY THANKS.

[rice07]

Cited Practical English Usage as saying:

this / that and it:

things that have been mentioned

1. referring back

this, that and it can all be used to refer back to things or situations that have just been talked or written about. It does not give any special emphasis.

So she decided to paint her house pink. It upset the neighbours a bit.

This and that are more emphatic; they ' shine a light ', so to speak, on the things or situations, suggesting ' an interesting new fact has been mentioned '.

So she decided to paint her house pink. This / That really upset the neighbours, as you can imagine.

This is preferred when there is more to say about the new subject of discussion.

So she decided to paint her house pink. This upset the neighbours so much that they took her to court, believe it or not. The case came up last week ...

Then in 1917 he met Andrew Lewis. This was a turning point in his career: the two men entered into a partnership which lasted until 1946, and ... (More natural than ... That was a turning point...)


2. more than one thing

When more than one thing has been mentioned, it generally refers to the main subject of discussion; this and that generally refer to a new subject that has been introduced (often the last thing mentioned). Compare:

We keep the ice-cream machine in the spare room. It is mainly used by the children, incidentally. ( The machine is used by the children.)

We keep the ice-cream machine in the spare room. This / That is mainly used by the children, incidentally. ( The spare room is used by the children.)

I was carrying the computer to my office when I dropped it on the kitchen table. It was badly damaged. (The computer was damaged.)

Iwas carring the computer to my office when I dropped it on the kitchen table. This was badly damaged. ( The table was damaged.)

3. focus

It is only used to refer to things which are ' in focus '- which have already been talked about. This is preferred when we ' bring things into focus ' before anything has been said about them. Compare:

I enjoyed ' Vampires' Picnic '. It / This is a film for all the family...

VAMPIRES' PICNIC: This is a film for all the family ...( NOT VAMPIRES' PICNIC: It is a film for all the family ...)

4. referring forward

Only this can refer forward to something that has not yet been mentioned.

Now what do you think about this? I'd get a job in Spain for six months, and then ...( NOT Now what do you think about that / it...)

So deducing from the above, what the correct or the suitable answer was for your question depends on, in my opinion, what the author was trying to convey, isn't it?

Hope that helps.

Good luck!

Sincerely
rice07

[jasonlulu_2000]

Thanks, so we can say "He doesn't look that." Is it so?

[rice07]

[pugachevV]

I would usually say, "He doesn't look it."

[rice07]

[m_prime]

I agree with PugachevV, the answer is definitely "But he doesn't look it"

Rice07 is correct to say in what he says in section 1 of his reply 'It, This and That' can all be used to refer back to an object from the previous clause. However, 'It' is the only appropriate answer to the original question. This is a difficult grammar point but I shall try to elaborate a little.

The sentence used by Rice07

[puzzle]

Thank you very much!
Im a bit clear now .When we compare somthing , or refer to something in particular, we usually use "that". If not ,we usually use "it".