Guide to English grammar

There doesn't seem to be enough memory in the computer.
There proved to be no truth in the rumour/rumor.
There appears to have been an accident.
We can sometimes use a noun phrase after seem, especially one with little or no.
There seemed (to be) little difference between the two alternatives.
There seems (to be) no reason for alarm.

5 The empty subject it

1 A clause like “to make new friends” or “that so few people came” can be the subject of a sentence, but this is not very usual. Instead, we normally use it as subject, and the clause comes later in the sentence.
It's difficult to make new friends. (= To make new friends is difficult.)
It was a pity so few people came. (= That so few people came was a pity.)
It amazes me how much money some people earn.(= How much money some people earn amazes me.)
Because the clause is long, it comes more naturally at the end of the sentence than at the beginning.
With a gerund clause we use both patterns.
Making new friends is difficult./It's difficult making new friends.

2 It can also be an empty object in the pattern “subject + verb + it + complement + clause”.

I find it difficult to make new friends.
We all thought it a pity so few people came.
The government has made it clear that no money will be available.

3 It can also be an empty subject before seem, appear, happen, chance, turn out and prove.

It seems the phone is out of order. (= The phone seems to be out of order.)
It happened that I had my camera with me at the time. (= I happened to have my camera with me at the time.)
This pattern with it is a little formal.
There is also the pattern “it looks/seems + as if/as though”.
It looks as if we’re going to get some snow.

A practical guide to English grammar 50

For “It is said that...”, • 109.

4 We can use “it+ be” before a phrase in order to emphasize it. • 51(3)