The pronoun “it” can be used as a subject in the sentence as follows: 1. when it refers to an object or an animal of unspecific gender (neutral) e.g. Don’t drink the milk. It smells terrible. There is a dog here. It is asleep. 2. when it refers to a baby, when specifying the gender is not important. The baby is crying. It needs feeding. 3. when it refers to times and dates It is getting a bit late now. It is quarter past 10. 4. when it refers to weather, temperature or environmental conditions It is raining/ snowing. It is hot/ cold. 5.when it introduces or anticipates the subject of a sentence, especially with That – clauses and To-Infinitive constructions (anticipatory “it”) It is good that she is doing more exercise. 6. in Cleft Sentences (to emphasize the subject of the main clause, also with anticipatory or dummy value) It was John who stole that book. 7. with verbs such as: “appear”, seem, look, occur etc. in impersonal constructions It seems that they have already left. 8. With the passive voice, also with an impersonal value – it makes the sentence seem less personal and more objective: It was said that she had been promoted.