Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

It and demonstratives  

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Subject pronoun it and demonstrative pronouns are often not needed:

A: Oh is this a new one?

B: Looks like it, yeah.

(understood: It looks like it, yeah.)

A: It says Duscellier.

B: Doesn’t make any sense.

(understood: It/that doesn’t make any sense.)

[students talking about a party]

Like that one we went to in Birchfield Road. 

Turned out to be something Dave

had something to do with.

Initial it is frequently unnecessary in short replies such as could be, might be,

should be

, probably is, usually is, must have been, could have been, might have

been

, should have been:

A: It was white chicken in something.

B: Chilli, was it?

A: Could be.

A: He was stuck for eleven hours at Heathrow airport.

B: Must have been awful.

Initial it plus auxiliary verb are often omitted in references to weather and

temperature:

Raining again.

(understood: It’s raining again.)

Looking brighter at last.

Been cold lately.

Initial it and copular verb be may both be unnecessary when the referent is obvious:

A: What do you think of it?

B: Excellent.

(understood: It is excellent.)

A: I just thought it might help others.

B: Yes yes.

A: No good for me now. It’s too late.