Page 183 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

A d j e c t i v e s + t h a t - c l a u s ethat-clause o r t o - i n f i n i t i v e
Adjectives
or
to-infinitive
+
an
with
linking verb
adjective
personal subject
a
26)
follows
a
Unit
(see
(rather than
When
When an adjective follows a linking verb (see Unit 26) with a personal subject (rather than
we can put a number
after the
of things
including:
below)
adjective,
see D
‘It...';
'It...'; see D below) we can put a number of things after the adjective, including:

adjective + examples
examples
+
adjective

that-clause (to talk about someone's feeling afraid, alarmed, amazed, angry, annoyed,
alarmed,
(to
someone's
feeling
about
afraid,
annoyed,
talk
angry,
that-clause
amazed,
or opinion, or about how sure we are ofof ashamed, astonished, aware, concerned,
we
are
astonished,
about
sure
ashamed,
how
opinion,
concerned,
or
or
aware,
something) delighted, disappointed, glad, (un)happy,
glad,
(un)happy,
something)
disappointed,
delighted,
• ¢ He became worried (that) she might leap pleased, shocked, sorry, upset, worried;
worried
might
(that)
leap
became
she
He
pleased, shocked, sorry, upset, worried;
out from behind door. certain, confident, positive, sure (with the
sure
positive,
door.
from behind aa
(with
confident,
out
certain,
the
• ¢ She felt certain (that) she'd seen him exception of aware and confident these can
seen
these
aware
him
of
can
She
felt
(that)
confident
she'd
and
certain
exception
before. also be followed by a to-infinitive)
also
by
be
before.
followed
a
to-infinitive)

to-infinitive (un)able, careful, crazy, curious, difficult,
curious,
careful,
crazy,
to-infinitive
difficult,
(un)able,
• ¢ • ¢ You're free to easy to at any time you want. easy, free, good, hard, impossible, inclined,
leave at any time you want.
easy, free, good, hard, impossible, inclined,
to
/eave
free
You're

They're
very easy to please.
nice, prepared, readv, welcome, willing
very
They're
please.
welcome,
willing
ready,
prepared,
nice,

form
-ing
-ing
form
busy, worth (these can't be followed by a a
busy, worth (these can't be followed by
•
He was
busy doing his homework.
to-infinitive)
or
doing
homework.
his
that-clause
that-clause or to-infinitive)
He
¢
busy
was
Most of the adjectives listed as being followedfollowed by a a to-infinitive can't be followed by a a that-clause.
listed
being
by
be
as
can't
adjectives
of
that-clause.
by
the
to-infinitive
followed
Most
use
However, for the adjectives underlined above we can use adjective + to-infinitive + that-clause:
However,
to-infinitive
above
can
we
adjective
underlined
+
for
adjectives
the
that-clause:
+
O • ° She was ready to admit (that) I was right.
o
to
ready
admit
I
She
was
was
(that)
right.
• « • ¢ They were prepared to accept that my idea was a good one.
my
a
to
accept
prepared
idea
was
one.
were
They
good
that
, D Sometimes we can use adjective + preposition + -ing form (see Unit 86B) oror adjective + to-
form
+
use
adjective
(see
Sometimes
+
86B)
-ing
preposition
we
adjective
to-
+
Unit
can
infinitive with little difference in meaning:
meaning:
infinitive
with
little
in
difference
• ¢ He wasn't ashamed of asking for more money. oror ...ashamed to ask for more money.
..ashamed
more
more
He
to
ask
of
asking
for
wasn't
ashamed
money.
money.
for
difference.
some cases there
is
in
Compare:
a
However, in some cases there is a difference. Compare:
However,
• ¢ I'm sorry to disturb you. (= I'm disturbing you now) andand
you
I'm
now)
to
you.
(=
sorry
I'm
disturb
disturbing
• ¢ I'm sorry for disturbing you. (= I disturbed you earlier)
I'm
earlier)
you
disturbing
you.
for
disturbed
(=
sorry
I
It + linking verb + adjective
+
It+
verb
adjective
linking
We can often avoid beginning sentence with a that-clause or aa to-infinitive, by using It...:
by using It...:
or
to-infinitive,
that-clause
can
a
sentence
often
beginning aa
avoid
with
We
• ¢ It became clear that I wasn't welcome, (rather than That I wasn't welcome was clear.)
[rather than That I wasn't welcome was clear.)
I
became
clear
wasn't
welcome.
that
It
• * It is essential to get there early. [rather than To get there early is essential.)
early
is
there
essential.)
To
It is essential to get there early, (rather
get
than
put
to-infinitive:
Notice that we can put of + subjectsubject oror for + subjectsubject between the adjective and aa to-infinitive:
and
for
the
of
adjective
+
Notice
that
+
we
can
between
• • ¢ * It was generous of her to take on the job. (or She was generous to take on the job.) silly,
take
was
to
generous
of
her
on
to
the
job.
It
was
She
the
job.)
generous
on
(or
take
@ necessary, unacceptable, vital. such as believe, consider, feel, find, think before a that-
seemed difficult for him to walk.
walk.
him
seemed
to
for
ItIt
difficult
of +
subject in this pattern
careless,
greedy, kind, nice,
include
adjectives which take
which
kind,
take
greedy,
nice,
this
pattern
silly,
OtherOther
of
careless,
in
subject
adjectives
+
include
essential, hard, important,
impossible,
wrong. Those which take for + subject include easy,
+
which
take
impossible,
subject
for
essential,
easy,
include
important,
wrong.
hard,
Those
vital.
necessary,
unacceptable,
adjective after verbs
We can also use it + + adjective after verbs such as believe, consider, feel, find, think before a that-
We can also use it
or
to-infinitive:
clause
clause or to-infinitive:
I thought it dreadful that Liz was asked to resign.
• ¢ I thought it dreadful that Liz was asked to resign.
They consider it wrong to smoke in public places.
• - They consider it wrong to smoke in public places.
It...
»...=