In the debates, Jefferson won the respect of the Congress. He was made Chairman of a committee of five members whose duty it was to draw up a document declaring the colonists' intention to break away from Britain. (胡文仲等编的 College English 第二册 p.24) 我认为 whose duty 之后的 it 是多余的，应当删掉
我认为 whose duty 之后的 it 是多余的, 应当删掉。
句中的 it 并没有用错。如果把定语从句 whose duty it was to draw... 改写为独立的句子, 则是: It was its duty to draw up a document... 这是典型的带先行主语 it 的句子(动词不定式为真实主语)。如果删掉原句中的 it, 则句子就会变成另一种句型: Its duty was to draw up a document... (动词不定式为表语)。
正如 A. S. Hornby 所指出的那样，“由于人们用 it 来代替其后的动词不定式短语已成为习惯，所以在这类句子中也就用 it 了：
The man whose business it is to look after the children is not here. 负责照看孩子的那个人不在这儿。”
请做下面的英语试题：
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Those were the graduate assistants ____ to do the research work in the lab. A. to whom it was their responsibility B. whose responsibility there was C. whose responsibility it was D. of whom with the responsibility(TOEFL)
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“Did the audience participate in the play?” “Yes, those actors ____ to involve the audience.” A. whom it was the function B. of whom the function was C. whose function it was D. whose were the function(TOEFL)