"it" can be used of people in sentences such as: ANN (on the phone): Who is that/Who is it? BILL: It's me. Is that Tom over there? ~ No, it's Peter. (Source: Practical English Grammar) "it" used to identify We use "it" for a person when we are identifying him or her. e.g. Who's that over there? ~ It's John Cook. (NOT He's John Cook.) e.g. Is that our waiter? ~ No, it isn't. (NOT No, he isn't.) (Source: Practical English Usage)