Stacey Koprince wrote:Hmm. So, what would we replace the sound "it" with - is there one discrete noun that you think would fit there? (I'm not sure, as I type this. I'm trying to think of something myself!)

[Also, what a guy, huh? He thought it was immoral to do certain things, so he decided that his wife and kids should do those immoral things instead of him? Nice!]

Okay, so, hmmm.

Leaving "the work" to his wife and daughters to support the family. Not quite.
Leaving "careers" to his wife and daughters to support the family. No.
Leaving "the task" to his wife and daughters to support the family. Maybe... but still not loving it.

Leaving it to his wife and daughters to support the family.
His wife and daughters were left to support the family.

It is raining outside.
There is rain outside.

I'm thinking this one can also be classified as an "it" that doesn't need a discrete referent. I'm able to rearrange the sentence and still get the same point across, without using either the "it" or any other concept / word besides the original ones.

In fact, I like option A the best of the 5.