build (it)

Yes, "it" is needed in the second sentence. It acts as the subject of the sentence Otherwise, you'd have to say, "The temple was completed after 10 years. The temple took 500 skilled labourers to build."

There are many ways to convey this information in English. One different way to say it would be "It took 500 skilled laborers 10 years to build the temple."

No "It" is not required.

The subject is already defined by the "It" at the start of the sentence.

"It" is a substitute for "The temple" at the start of the sentence.

The temple (It) took 500 skilled labourers to build.

We can only use "It' when there is no confusion as to what the subject is.

Eg. The temple was completed after a smaller building. It took 500 years to build.

Have I referred to the smaller building or the temple?

Methinks there might be some confusion about which 'it' YL was asking about. I think that he/she is referring to the last 'it' at the end of the second sentence?

I made a cake yesterday. It took forty minutes to cook.

I finished "War And Peace" recently. It took me three months to read.

Joe completed the jigsaw puzzle his mother had given him. It took three hours to solve.

Re: build (it)


No, the temple is unnecessary, but thank you.

I ate dinner. It took 10 seconds to dish it. Should I elide the 'sh it'?

The ten seconds are over. You just di(ed)..

Good day, Contrex.

First, let me state that I'm quite certain, but not absolutely certain that YL means the pronoun 'it' that I've put in bold in the second sentence, below.

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ORIGINAL SENTENCE:

The temple was completed after 10 years. It took 500 skilled labourers to build it. (Is 'it' needed?)

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Your examples are different than the original. In it [the sentence, that is, not the temple], we have "500 skilled labourers". I have this nagging suspicion, not much more than that I must admit, that 'it', the second 'it' is required.

Maybe something will come to me if I sleep on it. Then again, maybe only sleep will come to me.

I'd say you can do it either way. In "It took 500 workers to build" the "it" refers to the building. In "It took 500 workers to build it", the first "it" refers to the task of building and the second "it" refers to the temple. Our minds and the language are flexible enough for us to basically figure out what is meant, whichever way it's phrased.

Thanks, guys, for your help.