IT and THIS

[esunik]

I dropped my phone on the glass table.

As a result, IT was badly damaged.
As a result, THIS was badly damaged.

What is the difference between the first and the second sentence?

 

[PaulQ]

It is a basic pronoun - it must refer to a noun or other nominal that the listener is aware of. There is no necessity for "it" to be visible or present. In this case "it" = "table" or "phone".

This is a demonstrative pronoun - the noun to which it refers must be present and clearly shown to (or heard/felt/tasted, or otherwise experienced by) the listener.

You can always place a noun directly after "this", and "this" becomes a demonstrative adjective. "As a result this vase/table/phone was damaged."
You can never place a noun directly after "it" because it cannot be an adjective. "As a result, it vase/table/phone was badly damaged."

 

[dojibear]

I dropped my phone on the glass table.

As a result, IT was badly damaged.
As a result, THIS was badly damaged.

What is the difference between the first and the second sentence?

Unless you are pointing to something while you say it, you cannot use "this", so the second sentence is incorrect.

In the first sentence, "IT" may mean your phone or may mean the glass table. The reader has no way to know what thing you are saying was damaged. So native speakers avoid sentences like this.

 

[esunik]

Unless you are pointing to something while you say it, you cannot use "this", so the second sentence is incorrect.

In the first sentence, "IT" may mean your phone or may mean the glass table. The reader has no way to know what thing you are saying was damaged. So native speakers avoid sentences like this.

Wow, Fresno! I lived there for a while!