1

Today, I was teaching my siblings how to use the 'to infinitive' as an adjective complement.

We were discussing how the structure it + linking verb + to infinitive + object has the same meaning as the structure noun (objective of the to infinitive) + linking verb + to infinitive.

For example, This question is difficult to understand shares the same meaning with it is difficult to understand this question.

When I explained to my brothers that for the second structure, we can only use adjectives such as difficult, easy, impossible, good, hard, they asked me if there were any other adjectives that could be used with the second structure, and that if there were any rules underlying these adjectives. I was dumbfounded by their questions so I turned to you for help.

I theorized that only adjectives that could be used with the first structure could be used with the second one.

For example, since it is grammatically correct to say it is healthy to eat vegetables, it is also grammatically correct to say vegetables are healthy to eat*.

From this, I developed another theory that adjectives that could be used are those that with a connotation implying that they affect or are related to the subject of the "to – infinitive" in some ways.

For instance, the word “healthy” could be defined as being good for (your) health. Likewise, the word “difficult” could be defined as demanding (from you) great effort and skills.

Could you help me confirm whether the theories I have outlined above are sound? Thank you very much.

Leon Conrad
  • 3,910
Kumiko Oumae
  • 19
  • Isn't this to do with stative verbs, and the reworking of the sentences simply along the lines of 'To understand this question is difficult'? – Leon Conrad Dec 28 '20 at 13:54
  • Any sentence with the structure: X is [adjective] to [verb] can be switched around to: It is [adjective] to [verb] direct object. The structures are grammatical. And I don't think one can make a general rule about the adjectives without a context. – Lambie Dec 28 '20 at 14:13
  • Does this answer your question? To infinitive used after adjective @Araucaria gives a thorough answer. With 3 differently-analysable but similar-looking constructions. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 28 '20 at 15:02
  • @Lambie That doesn't work for intransitive verbs. Just because a bunny is quick to flee (like at the first sign of danger) doesn't mean that *it is quick to flee a bunny, – tchrist Dec 28 '20 at 19:05
  • @tchrist to be quick to do something is an idiom. A bunny is fun to see. It is fun to see a bunny. The predicate characterizes the situation, not the thing. The bunny is not necessarily quick, even if it is quick to do something. – Lambie Dec 29 '20 at 14:33

0 Answers0