it
gb/ˈɪt/ us/ˈɪt/
A1
English
~ 100
Senses
0 senses
pronoun
A1
relation
1
Refers to a thing or animal
We use this word when talking about a thing, an animal, or an idea we already know about.
Usage pattern:
[It] + [verb]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'he' or 'she' for animals when the gender is unknown, but 'it' is standard unless the gender is known and relevant.
Synonyms
this (Refers to something close in space or time, often with more immediacy than 'it'.)
Antonyms
they ('They' refers to more than one person or thing, while 'it' refers to only one.)
Collocations
it seems
|it is
|it takes
|it means
|it has
Themes
daily life
|grammar
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I saw a cat outside. It was sitting on the fence.
- The book is on the table. Can you bring it to me?
- I love this song. It always makes me happy.
- There’s a problem with the car. It won’t start.
- That’s my phone. Please don’t drop it.
Learner examples
- This is my bag. It is blue.
- I have a dog. It is small.
- Here is your pen. I found it.
- The apple is red. I like it.
- This chair is broken. Can you fix it?
pronoun
A1
relation
2
Refers to a situation or state
We use this word to talk about a situation or what is happening.
Usage pattern:
It + [verb/adjective]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'it' with 'there' when talking about situations (e.g., 'There is raining' instead of 'It is raining').
Synonyms
that ('That' can refer to a situation too, but often with more emotional distance or emphasis.)
Collocations
it seems
|it appears
|it looks like
|it happens
Themes
daily life
|grammar
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It’s raining again today.
- It was noisy at the party last night.
- It seems we have a problem.
- It’s hard to find good help these days.
- It will be fine after some rest.
Learner examples
- It is cold today.
- It was dark in the room.
- It is easy to make this cake.
- It will be sunny tomorrow.
- It is not safe here.
pronoun
A1
relation
3
Grammatical subject with no meaning
We use this word as the subject when we talk about time, weather, or distance and there is no real subject.
Usage pattern:
It + [verb] + [complement]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit 'it' in these sentences, producing incomplete sentences like 'Is raining.'
Collocations
it is raining
|it is late
|it is far
Themes
grammar
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It’s 8 o’clock already.
- It’s snowing outside.
- It’s 5 kilometers to the nearest town.
- It’s Monday today.
- It’s too early to call her.
Learner examples
- It is hot today.
- It is 10 o’clock now.
- It is raining outside.
- It is far from here.
- It is late at night.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
4
'The it' meaning fashionable or popular person/thing
A person or thing that many people think is cool or popular right now.
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand this as referring to an object literally, instead of its figurative popularity meaning.
Synonyms
trendsetter (Specifically someone who starts trends rather than just being popular.)
Antonyms
nobody (Someone without fame or influence.)
Collocations
the it girl
|the it factor
Themes
pop culture
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She’s the new it girl in Hollywood.
- That band is the it thing this summer.
- He has the it factor every producer looks for.
- This phone is the it gadget of the year.
Learner examples
- She is the it girl at school.
- This game is the it thing for kids now.
- He has the it factor for TV shows.
Grammar
Expressions
get over it
1/ɡˈɛt ˈoʊvɚ ˈɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
Stop being upset about something
To stop feeling sad or angry about something bad that happened.
Examples
- I know you’re disappointed, but you need to get over it.
- He still hasn’t gotten over it after all these years.
make it
1/mˈeɪk ˈɪt/
fixed phrase
Succeed in reaching goal/place
To arrive somewhere or succeed in doing something you wanted to do.
Examples
- I’m glad you made it to the party on time.
- After years of hard work, she finally made it as a professional singer.
go for it
1/ɡˈoʊ fɚ ˈɪt/
idiom
informal
Try something eagerly
To try something you want to do with energy and courage.
Examples
- If you really want that job, go for it!
- She decided to go for it and start her own business.
go for it
2/ɡˈoʊ fɚ ˈɪt/
idiom
informal
Try without hesitation to achieve something
To try hard to do something without fear or delay.
Examples
- If you want the job, go for it!
- He decided to go for it and ask her out.
call it a day
1/kˈɔl ˈɪt ə dˈeɪ/
idiom
informal
stop working for today or end activity
To stop working because you have done enough for now.
Examples
- We’ve done enough for now—let’s call it a day.
- We've been painting for hours; let's call it a day.
- Let's call it a day and finish tomorrow.
- After finishing the report, I decided to call it a day.
- I think I'll call it a day and head home.
- After three meetings, we decided to call it a day.
take it easy
2/tˈeɪk ˈɪt ˈizi/
idiom
informal
Relax for a while
To relax and not do hard work for some time.
Examples
- You’ve been working hard—why not take it easy this weekend?
- You’ve been working all day—take it easy tonight.
- You should take it easy after your surgery.
- Take it easy, there’s no rush.
- Take it easy, there’s no need to rush.
- Take it easy—there's no rush.
take it easy
3/tˈeɪk ˈɪt ˈizi/
idiom
informal
Relax and not work hard
To relax and not do too much work or worry too much.
Examples
- You’ve been working all day—take it easy for a while.
- Let’s take it easy this weekend and just watch movies.