A.
Difficult to understand etc.
Compare
sentences a and b:
* Jim
doesn't speak very clearly. It is difficult to understand him. (a)
* Jim
doesn't speak very clearly. He is difficult to understand. (b)
Sentences a and b have the same meaning. But note that we say:
* He is
difficult to understand. (not 'He is difficult to understand him.')
You can
use the structures in the box with:
difficult easy hard
impossible dangerous safe
expensive cheap and a number of
other adjectives (for example, nice/interesting/exciting):
* Do you
think it is safe to drink this water?
Do you
think this water is safe to drink? (not 'to drink it')
* Your
writing is awful. It is impossible to read it. (= to read your writing)
Your
writing is impossible to read. (not 'to read it')
* I like
being with Jill. It's very interesting to talk to her.
Jill is
very interesting to talk to. (not 'to talk to her')
You can
also use this structure with an adjective + noun:
* This
is a difficult question (for me) to answer. (not 'to answer it')
B.
(It's) nice (of you) to...
You can
use this structure to say what you think of what somebody does:
* It was
nice of you to take me to the station. Thank you very much.
You can
use many other adjectives in this way. For example:
kind clever sensible
mean silly stupid
careless unfairV considerate:
* It's
silly of Mary to give up her job when she needs the money.
* I
think it was very unfair of him to criticise me.
C.
(I'm) sorry to ...
You can
use this structure to say how somebody reacts to something:
* I was
sorry to hear that your father is ill.
You can
use many other adjectives in this way. For example:
happy glad pleased
delighted sad disappointed
surprised amazed astonished
relieved:
* Was
Tom surprised to see you when you went to see him?
* We
were delighted to get your letter last week.
D. The
first (person) to know, the next train to arrive
We use
to ... after the first/second/third etc. and also after the next, the last, 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 6.50 to Cardiff.
*
Everybody was late except me. I was the only one to arrive on time.
E. You
can say that something is sure/certain/bound/likely to happen:
* She's
very intelligent. She's sure/certain/bound to pass the exam.
* I'm
likely to be late home this evening. (= I will probably be late home)
EXERCISES
64.1
(Section A) Write these sentences in another way, beginning as shown.
1. It's
difficult to understand him.
He _is
difficult to understand._
2. It's
quite easy to use this machine.
This
machine is ---
3. It
was very difficult to open the window.
The
window ---
4. It's
impossible to translate some words.
Some
words ---
5. It's
not safe to stand on that chair.
That
chair ---
6. It's
expensive to maintain a car.
A ---
64.2
(Section A) Complete the second sentence using the adjective in brackets. Use
a/an +adjective + noun + to ... (as in the example).
1. I
couldn't answer the question. (difficult) It was _a difficult question to
answer._
2.
Everybody makes that mistake. (easy)
It's an
---
3. I
like living in this place. (nice)
It's a
---
4. We
enjoyed watching the game. (good)
It was
---
64.3
(Section B) Make a new sentence beginning It ... Use one of these adjectives
each time:
careless considerate kind
nice
1. You did
my shopping for me.
_It was
kind of you to do my shopping for me._
2. You
make the same mistake again and again.
It ---
3. Don
and jenny invited me to stay with them.
---
4. John
made so much noise when I was trying to sleep.
It
wasn't very ---
64.4
(Section C) Use the following words to complete these sentences:
sorry/hear glad/hear delighted/get
surprised/see
1. We
_were delighted to get_ your letter last week.
2.Thank
you for your letter. I --- that you're keeping well.
3. We
--- Pauline at the party. We didn't expect her to come.
4. I ---
that your mother isn't well. I hope she gets well soon.
64.5
(Section D) Complete the second sentence using the words in brackets + to ...
1.
Nobody left before me. (the first)
I was
_the first person to leave._
2.
Everybody else arrived before Paul. (the last)
Paul was
the ---
3. Fiona
passed the exam. All the other students failed. (the only)
Fiona
was ---
4. I
complained to the restaurant manager about the service. Another customer had
already complained before me. (the second)
I was
---
5. Nell
Armstrong walked on the moon in 1969. Nobody had done this before him. (the
first)
Neil
Armstrong was ---
64.6
(Section E) Complete these sentences using the word in brackets and a suitable
verb.
1. Diane
is very intelligent. She _is bound to pass_ the exam. (bound)
2. I'm
not surprised you're tired. After such a long journey you --- tired. (bound)
3. Tom's
got a very bad memory. He --- what you told him. (sure)
4. I
don't think you need to take an umbrella. It --- (not likely)
5. The
holidays begin this weekend. There --- a lot of traffic on the roads. (likely)
Answer
64.1
2 This
machine is quite easy to use.
3 The
window was very difficult to open.
4 Some
words are impossible to translate.
5 That
chair isn't safe to stand on.
6 A car
is expensive to maintain.
64.2
2 It's
an easy mistake to make.
3 It's a
nice place to live (in).
4 It was
a good game to watch.
64.3
2 It's
careless of you to make the same mistake again and again.
3 It was
nice of Don and jenny to invite me to stay with them.
4 It
wasn't very considerate o John to make so much noise (when I was trying to
sleep).
64.4
2 am/was
glad to hear
3 were
surprised to see
4 am/was
sorry to hear
64.5
2 Paul
was the last (person) to arrive.
3 Fiona
was the only student/the only one to pass the exam.
4 I was
the second customer/ person to complain (to the restaurant manager about the
service).
5 Neil
Armstrong was the first person/man to walk on the moon.
64.6
2 are
bound to be
3 is
sure to forget
4 is
not/isn't likely to rain
5 is
likely to be
