Adjective + Infinitive

At its heart, this rule is about giving more information. You aren't just saying something is easy. You are saying it is easy to do. The infinitive (the to + verb part) acts like an explanation. It tells the listener exactly what the adjective refers to. For example, if you say "This book is hard," your friend might be confused. Is the cover hard? Is the story hard? But if you say "This book is hard to read," everything becomes clear. The infinitive narrows down the meaning. It focuses the adjective on a specific action. You can use this with almost any adjective that describes a person’s feelings or a thing’s qualities. It is like adding a GPS coordinate to your sentence. It tells the listener exactly where your opinion is heading. Most of the time, we use the verb to be to set the stage. However, other linking verbs like feel or seem work too. It is a flexible pattern that fits into many different conversations.

1. 1Building these sentences is like following a simple recipe. You only need a few ingredients.
2. 2Start with your Subject. This can be a person like I or an impersonal It.
3. 3Add a Linking Verb. Usually, this is a form of to be (am, is, are, was, were).
4. 4Place your Adjective. This is the word that describes the feeling or quality.
5. 5Finish with the Infinitive. This is to plus the base form of the verb.
6. 6Here is a basic formula: [Subject] + [Verb] + [Adjective] + [to + Verb].
7. 7Let’s look at an example. Subject: It. Verb: is. Adjective: important. Infinitive: to sleep. Put it together: "It is important to sleep."
8. 8If you want to make it negative, just add not. Put it before the to. For example: "It is important not to forget your keys."
9. 9Sometimes, we want to mention a specific person. In that case, we use for. The pattern becomes: [Adjective] + [for someone] + [to + Verb]. For example: "It is hard for me to wake up early." This adds a personal touch to your statement. It’s like adding your name to a coffee cup at a cafe.

You will find this pattern everywhere. It is a true workhorse of the English language.

First, use it to express emotions or reactions. If you see an old friend, you say, "I am happy to see you." If you get bad news, you might say, "I am sorry to hear that." It connects your heart to the situation.

Second, use it to talk about difficulty or ease. Imagine you are giving directions to a tourist. You might say, "The museum is easy to find." Or maybe you are trying a new recipe. You could say, "This cake is difficult to bake."

Third, use it for judgments and opinions. In a job interview, you want to sound eager. You could say, "I am ready to learn new skills." It shows you are proactive.

Fourth, use it with the word It. This is called the "dummy subject." It is a very polite and common way to start a sentence. Instead of saying "Learning English is fun," you can say, "It is fun to learn English." This structure is very popular in formal writing and polite conversation. It makes your opinions sound a bit more objective and balanced.

Even though this pattern is great, it isn't for every situation. You should avoid it when an adjective requires a specific preposition. Some adjectives are "married" to certain words. For example, we say interested in or good at. You cannot say "I am interested to learn" if you are talking about a general hobby. Usually, you would say "I am interested in learning."

Also, be careful with adjectives that describe a permanent state. You wouldn't say "I am tall to play basketball." That sounds like you grew tall just for the game! Instead, use enough. "I am tall enough to play basketball."

Another time to avoid this is when the action is the subject of the sentence. If you want to start with the verb, use the -ing form. "Swimming is fun" is better than "To swim is fun." The second one sounds like a poem from the 1800s. Unless you are writing a Shakespearean play, stick to the modern way. Grammar has trends, just like fashion. You don't want your sentences wearing powdered wigs.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes. The most common mistake is forgetting the word to. You might say, "It is important study." This sounds broken. Always remember the bridge! You need that to to connect the adjective to the verb.

Another big mistake is using the -ing form after the adjective. Many learners say, "I am happy meeting you." While people will understand you, it sounds a bit clunky. The correct way is "I am happy to meet you."

Don't forget the base form of the verb. Never add -ed or -s to the verb after to. It is always to go, never to went or to goes.

Watch out for the "double subject" error. Don't say, "The water it is hot to drink." You don't need the it if you already have the water. Just say, "The water is hot to drink." It’s like bringing two umbrellas to a rainy day. One is enough!

It is helpful to compare this to the Adjective + Preposition + Gerund pattern. They look similar but behave differently.

Take the adjective afraid. You can say, "I am afraid to jump." This means you are standing on the edge right now. But if you say, "I am afraid of jumping," you are talking about the general fear.

Think of the infinitive as a specific moment. Think of the gerund (-ing) as a general concept.

Another contrast is with too and enough. These words often live next to our pattern. "The coffee is too hot to drink." This means you cannot drink it. "The coffee is cool enough to drink." This means you can. These words change the meaning of the adjective. They act like a volume knob on a radio. They turn the intensity up or down.