| A |
Difficult to understand etc.
Compare sentences (a) and (b):
- James doesn't speak very clearly.
(a) It is difficult to understand him.
(b) He is difficult to understand.
Sentences (a) and (b) have the same meaning. Note that we say:
- He is difficult to understand. (not He is difficult to understand him.)
You can use the same structures with:
easy nice safe cheap exciting impossible
hard good dangerous expensive interesting
- Do you think it is safe (for us) to drink this water?
Do you think this water is safe (for us) to drink? (not to drink it - The questions in the exam were very difficult. It was impossible to answer them.
The questions in the exam were very difficult. They were impossible to answer.
(not to answer them) - Nicola has lots of interesting ideas. It's interesting to talk to her.
Nicola is interesting to talk to. (not to talk to her.)
You can also use this structure with adjective + noun:
- This is a difficult question (for me) to answer. (not to answer it)
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| B |
Nice of (you) to ...
You can say 'It's nice of somebody to do something':
- It was nice of you to take me to the airport. Thank you very much.
You can use many other adjectives in this way. For example:
kind (in)considerate generous mean
careless silly stupid unfair
- It's silly of Ruth to give up her job when she needs the money.
- I think it was unfair of him to criticise me.
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| C |
Sorry to ... / surprised to ... etc.
You can use adjective + to ... to say how somebody reacts to something:
- I'm sorry to hear that your mother isn't well.
You can use many other adjectives in this way. For example:
glad pleased relieved surprised
amazed sad disappointed
- Was Julia surprised to see you?
- It was a long and tiring journey. We were glad to get home.
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| D |
The first / the next (etc.) + to ...
You can use to ... after the first/second/third etc., and also after the last / the next / the only ... :
- If I have any more news, you will be the first (person) to know. The next train to arrive at platform 4 will be the 10.50 to Liverpool.
- Everybody was late except me. I was the only one to arrive on time.
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| E |
You can say that something is sure/certain/likely/bound to happen:
- Carla is a very good student. She's bound to pass the exam. (= she is sure to pass)
- I'm likely to get home late tonight. (= I will probably get home late)
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