recommended changes in README.md#9
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This sentence is quite interesting in that it seems to stack exception upon exception. > But wouldn't that be awesome to keep using the existing variant syntax? Normally "it" refers back in time to some previous noun, and so the instinct to use the word "that" instead is often correct. And if the order of the ideas were rearranged, "that" would make perfect sense: > But what if we could keep using the existing variant syntax? Wouldn't _that_ be awesome? "That" works there (in the rearranged sentence) because it refers back to the previously mentioned _idea_ of keeping the existing syntax. So in many cases "that" refers to an _idea_, while "it" refers to a _specific noun_. It might be nice if this were a simple rule that we could expect English to always follow. But in this case when we say "wouldn't it be awesome if...", the "it" is instead referring _ahead_ to an idea that is about to be mentioned. I hope this is helpful, and feel free to ask me about any of the changes I'm recommending. If you think I misunderstood anything in the original text and might be making the wrong recommendation, let me know and I'll make whatever amendments are necessary.
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This sentence is quite interesting in that it seems to stack exception upon exception.
Normally "it" refers back in time to some previous noun, and so the instinct to use the word "that" instead is often correct. And if the order of the ideas were rearranged, "that" would make perfect sense:
"That" works there (in the rearranged sentence) because it refers back to the previously mentioned idea of keeping the existing syntax. So in many cases "that" refers to an idea, while "it" refers to a specific noun. It might be nice if this were a simple rule that we could expect English to always follow.
But in this case when we say "wouldn't it be awesome if...", the "it" is instead referring ahead to an idea that is about to be mentioned.
I hope this is helpful, and feel free to ask me about any of the changes I'm recommending.
If you think I misunderstood anything in the original text and might be making the wrong recommendation, let me know and I'll make whatever amendments are necessary.
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