Ann.English@clear.net.nz

Somebody said "It's useful".
Somebody else said "Please re-phrase 'it's' ".
I'll try.

"It will produce useful results like ..."
"I can use it to do these things: ..."
"People will agree that with little effort it makes good things happen such as..."
"It deserves the 'USEFUL' label (in my opinion) because ..."
"I find it useful in these ways: ..."

"It" stands for the idea of avoiding the use of TO be which can be described as predicting, labelling, or identifying something as equivalent to something else. Examples (all bad, I say): XYZ will be a failure as a government. CDE is the thin edge of the wedge. PQR is a disaster for the country.

Examples (better, I hope): Its opponents expect the XYZ government to fail. CDE, if it becomes common, may make other things possible. Many people think that PQR will have very bad effects on the country.

---------- Post added at 03:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:00 PM ----------

Bother! Done it again. For "can be described" read "I would describe"