Unlocking the Power of Adjective + Infinitive

Table of Content

Introduction:

Welcome to an in-depth exploration of a fascinating and highly useful grammatical structure in English: the combination of adjectives followed by infinitives. This construction allows us to express a wide range of nuances, from our feelings and opinions to the potential for actions and the difficulty of tasks. Understanding and using this structure effectively will significantly enhance your ability to communicate precisely and naturally in English.

What is the Adjective + Infinitive Structure?

At its core, this structure involves an adjective that describes a noun or pronoun, followed immediately by the infinitive form of a verb (to + base verb). The infinitive often explains why the adjective applies or provides further information about the noun or pronoun being described.

Examples:

• She was happy to receive the gift. (The adjective "happy" describes "she," and the infinitive "to receive" explains why she was happy.)
• It is important to study regularly. (The adjective "important" describes "it," and the infinitive "to study" explains what is important.)
• They were eager to learn more. (The adjective "eager" describes "they," and the infinitive "to learn" explains what they were eager to do.)

Common Adjectives Used with Infinitives

Many adjectives commonly pair with infinitives. These adjectives often fall into several categories:

• Feelings and Emotions: happy, sad, glad, pleased, disappointed, surprised, relieved, afraid, anxious.
  • Example: I was surprised to see him there.
• Opinions and Judgments: important, necessary, essential, right, wrong, foolish, wise, silly.
  • Example: It is wise to save money.
• Ease or Difficulty: easy, difficult, hard, tough, impossible.
  • Example: The test was easy to complete.
• Willingness and Desire: willing, eager, ready, keen.
  • Example: He is willing to help.
• Chance or Possibility: likely, unlikely.
  • Example: It is unlikely to rain today.

How the Adjective + Infinitive Structure Adds Meaning

This grammatical structure is powerful because it allows us to convey more than just a simple description. It adds layers of meaning by:

• Explaining the Reason: As seen in the examples above, the infinitive often clarifies why someone feels a certain way or why something is considered a particular quality.
• Expressing Purpose or Intention: Sometimes, the infinitive indicates the purpose of an action related to the adjective.
  • Example: He was careful to lock the door. (His purpose in being careful was to lock the door.)
• Describing Potential or Capability: The structure can also describe someone's ability or the potential for something to happen.
  • Example: She is able to speak three languages.

Common Patterns with Adjective + Infinitive

While the basic structure is straightforward, there are some common patterns to be aware of:

• It + is/was + Adjective + to + Verb: This is a very common way to express general opinions or facts.
  • Example: It is important to be on time.
• Subject + be + Adjective + to + Verb: This pattern describes the subject's feelings, opinions, or capabilities.
  • Example: She is happy to help.
• Subject + be + Adjective + for + Object Pronoun/Noun + to + Verb: This pattern indicates who is affected by the adjective and the action.
  • Example: It was difficult for him to understand.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

• Using a gerund (-ing form) instead of an infinitive: Remember to use "to + base verb" after the adjective. Incorrect: She was happy receiving the gift. Correct: She was happy to receive the gift.
• Forgetting the "to" in the infinitive: Always include "to" before the verb. Incorrect: It is important study regularly. Correct: It is important to study regularly.

Questions, Answers, and Explanations:

Question Type 1: Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following sentences correctly uses the adjective + infinitive structure? a) He was eager learning new things. b) It is important studying hard for the exam. c) She was happy to meet her friend. d) They were difficult to understanding.

   Answer: c) She was happy to meet her friend.

   Explanation: Option (a) uses the gerund "learning" instead of the infinitive. Option (b) is missing the "to" before the infinitive "studying." Option (d) uses the base form of the verb "understanding" instead of the infinitive "to understand." Option (c) correctly uses the adjective "happy" followed by the infinitive "to meet."

Question Type 2: Fill in the Blanks

2. It is ________ (necessary / necessity) to practice English regularly.

   Answer: necessary

   Explanation: The sentence requires an adjective to describe "it," and "necessary" fits the context and correctly precedes the infinitive "to practice." "Necessity" is a noun.

3. They were ________ (surprise / surprised) to hear the good news.

   Answer: surprised

   Explanation: The sentence requires the past participle form of the verb "surprise" acting as an adjective to describe "they," followed by the infinitive "to hear."

Question Type 3: Sentence Completion

4. Complete the following sentence using the adjective + infinitive structure: "He was afraid ________."

   Answer: to go into the dark room. (Other correct answers are possible, e.g., to speak in public, to fail the test)

   Explanation: The sentence requires an infinitive phrase to explain what he was afraid of. The provided answer uses the infinitive "to go" to complete the sentence logically.

Question Type 4: Error Correction

5. Identify and correct the error in the following sentence: "She was pleased seeing her family again."

   Answer: Error: "seeing." Correction: "to see."

   Explanation: The adjective "pleased" should be followed by the infinitive form of the verb, which is "to see," not the gerund "seeing."

Question Type 5: Rewriting Sentences

6. Rewrite the following sentence using the adjective + infinitive structure: "It is not easy for beginners to learn a new language."

   Answer: Learning a new language is not easy for beginners. (This demonstrates the flexibility of the structure and how it can be used in different sentence patterns.)

   Explanation: While the original sentence already uses the structure, this question asks to rephrase it slightly, maintaining the core meaning and highlighting the adjective "easy" with the infinitive "to learn."

Question Type 6: Short Answer

7. Explain in your own words why the adjective + infinitive structure is useful in English.

   Answer: The adjective + infinitive structure is useful because it allows us to add more detail and nuance to our descriptions. It helps us explain why something is a certain way, express our feelings or opinions about something, and indicate the purpose or potential of an action. This makes our communication more precise and informative.

Conclusion:

The adjective + infinitive structure is a fundamental yet nuanced aspect of English grammar. By understanding how to form and use it correctly, you can express a wide range of thoughts and feelings with greater precision and clarity. Practice using these patterns in your writing and speaking to enhance your fluency and confidence in English.