Here's a breakdown of the key characteristics and examples:
Key Features of Impersonal Sentences:
* No specific subject: The subject is often a pronoun like "it" or "one," or a phrase like "people say," "it is said," or "there is."
* Focus on action or state: The focus is on the action or state being described, not on who is performing it.
* Often uses passive voice: Impersonal sentences frequently utilize the passive voice to further de-emphasize the subject.
Examples:
* "It is raining." (The subject "it" doesn't refer to a specific thing; the focus is on the action of raining.)
* "One should always be kind." (The subject "one" is indefinite; the focus is on the state of being kind.)
* "There are many problems in the world." (The phrase "there are" acts as a placeholder subject; the focus is on the existence of problems.)
* "The car was stolen." (The passive voice de-emphasizes the subject, who stole the car.)
Types of Impersonal Sentences:
* "It" sentences: These sentences use "it" as a placeholder subject.
* "One" sentences: These sentences use "one" as a general, indefinite subject.
* "There" sentences: These sentences use "there" as a placeholder subject to introduce the existence of something.
* Passive voice sentences: These sentences use the passive voice to de-emphasize the subject.
Impersonal vs. Personal Sentences:
In contrast to impersonal sentences, personal sentences have a specific subject that performs the action. For instance, "The boy kicked the ball" is a personal sentence because "the boy" is the subject performing the action.
Note: Impersonal sentences are common in English and other languages. They can convey a sense of objectivity, universality, or formality.