It

(1) It was easy for me to do the job.
(2) It was the first time in 50 years for the husband to return home.

Do you think those 'it's are grammatically classified as the same?

It does't look like the same...

Hi Taka

It depends on what "grammatically classified" means. In many grammars it is always a pronoun, and thus in a broad sense the answer could be yes. However, I sense something deeper in your question.

(1) It in the first sentence is called 'preparatory' by many and is one of the most typical examples of preparatory it. Easy is an adjective and unlike some other languages, Finnish for example, English requires a subject at the beginning of an affirmative clause. With adjectives, it is normally used:

It is impossible to do that.
It was difficult to learn it.

(2) In the second sentence, without more context, I take it that it refers to something. Perhaps something has been said about a husband returning home and it in the next sentence refers to that.

So, strictly speaking, we have two different uses of it.

Cheers
CB

Taka wrote:

About the second 'it', doesn't it rather seem like this kind of 'it' below? It is five years sicne I saw him last.

Not to me.
CB

Hi Taka

Some information on the most common uses of preparatory it:

1. with an adjective:

           It is easy to speak English.

           It will be impossible to swim across the river.

 

2. with  an  expression  of  opinion followed  by  a

   that-clause:

           It is a pity that you can't come with us.

           It was a great surprise that he won the match.

 

3) in expressions relating to weather, especially with a verb or an adjective:

           It is raining heavily.

           It was stormy yesterday.

 

4) in expressions of distance:

           It is a long way to Newcastle.

           How far is it to the North Pole? - It's over 1,000 miles.

 

5) in expressions relating to time:

           What time is it?  It is six (o'clock).

           It is morning.  It is summer.

 

6) for emphasis:

           It was those boys that/who broke this window yesterday.

           It was yesterday that those boys broke this window.

           It was this window that those boys broke yesterday.

I hope this helps you.

Cheers

CB