What does {it} mean? {It} here is empty object?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Please read:

Only in the construction [the above NP] - i.e. unaccompanied by either numbers or possessive determiners - can it function as an adjective and be placed before a noun. (1)

What does it mean? It here is empty object? If not, what does it refer to?

Only in the construction [the above NP] - i.e. unaccompanied by either numbers or possessive determiners - can function as an adjective and be placed before a noun. (2)

(1) and (2) in this case mean the same?

Quoc

2

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I don’t understand either of your sentences, tung quoc. What is this – Only in the construction [the above NP] – referring to?
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As I understand so far, the it in your #1 refers to something outside the context you have supplied, and your #2 is simply not meaningful.
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3

Hi Quoc

The word “it” very often refers to a word that has been mentioned in a previous sentence. So, it is not “empty” or meaningless. It usually refers to something quite specific.

What are you trying to do? Are you looking for examples of sentences in which the word it doesn’t have any real/definite meaning?

4

Thanks, teacher,

I have found the answer.

Quoc

5

Dear teacher,
You wrote:

The word it very often refers to [color=red]a word that has been mentioned in a previous sentence.

1/ In this case, it can be either a subject or an object. Am I right? Can it be interchangeable with that in this case?
Please give me examples.

2/Can it refer to [color=green]a sentence?In this case, it can be either a subject or an object. Am I right? In this case, it and that is interchangeable? Please give me examples.

Quoc