It is clear that ...
It is clear that ... means “It is clear that ...: empty 'it' as subject, real subject is the that-clause”. Here it is an empty 'it', a placeholder subject, and the real subject is the that-clause at the end. Formation: It + is / was + adjective + that-clause
It is clear that ...: empty 'it' as subject, real subject is the that-clause
B2Formation
It + is / was + adjective + that-clause
Explanation
Here it is an empty 'it', a placeholder subject, and the real subject is the that-clause at the end. Adjectives like clear, true, obvious, lucky, strange and important fit this pattern: It is obvious that she is tired. The structure moves a long that-clause to the end of the sentence, which is easier to read than starting with it. In everyday speech, that is often dropped: It's clear he's right.
Examples
Note
it here is only a placeholder, not a real thing. You can often say the fact directly instead: He is right. This pattern is related to It is + adjective + to do (It is important to rest).
FAQ
It is clear that ... — what does it mean and how is it used?
It is clear that ...: empty 'it' as subject, real subject is the that-clause. Here it is an empty 'it', a placeholder subject, and the real subject is the that-clause at the end. Adjectives like clear, true, obvious, lucky, strange and important fit this pattern: It is obvious that she is tired. The structure moves a long that-clause to the end of the sentence, which is easier to read than starting with it. In everyday speech, that is often dropped: It's clear he's right.
It is clear that ... — how do you form it?
It + is / was + adjective + that-clause
It is clear that ... — any usage notes?
it here is only a placeholder, not a real thing. You can often say the fact directly instead: He is right. This pattern is related to It is + adjective + to do (It is important to rest).