우리말로 "~해서 ~하다" 로 해석되는 형식입니다. 영어에서 상당히 많이 활용되는 형식이므로 많이 연습해서 몸에 붙여두어야 합니다.
1. 기본 구조
Hard to understand 등.
다음 (a)와 (b)를 비교해보세요:
Jim doesn't speak very clearly.
(a) It is hard to understand him.
(b) He is hard to understand.
(a)와 (b), 두 문장은 모두 같은 뜻입니다. 그러나 표현에 주의해야 합니다:
He is hard to understand. (not He is hard to understand him)
다음 동사들도 이와 같은 구조로 활용할 수 있습니다:
Do you think it is safe to drink this water?
Do you think this water is safe to drink? (not to drink it)
Your handwriting is awful. It is impossible to read it. (= to read your writing)
Your handwriting is impossible to read. (not to read it)
I like spending time with Jill. It's very interesting to talk to her.
Jill is very interesting to talk to. (not to talk to her)
이 구조는 "형용사 + 명사"와 함께 사용할 수 있습니다:
This is a difficult question (for me) to answer. (not to answer it)
2. 활용 표현
1) It's nice of you to ...
다른 사람이 하는 일에 대한 자신의 생각을 이야기할 때 이 구조를 사용합니다:
It was nice of you to take me to the airport. Thank you very much.
다음 형용사들도 이와 같이 활용할 수 있습니다:
It's foolish of Mary to quit her job when she needs the money.
I think it was very unfair of him to criticize me.
2) I'm sorry to ...
이 형식은 어떤 일에 대한 반응이나 태도를 이야기할 때 사용합니다:
I was sorry to hear that your father is sick.
다음 형용사들도 이와 같이 활용할 수 있습니다:
happy glad pleased delighted sad disappointed
surprised amazed astonished relieved
Was Tom surprised to see you when you went to see him?
We were glad to get your letter last week.
3) The first (person) to know, the next train to arrive
The first/second/third 등 뒤에 to 부정사를 사용할 수 있습니다. The next, the last, the only도 가능합니다:
If I have any more news, you will be the first (person) to know.
The next plane to arrive at gate 4 will be Flight 268 from Bogota.
Everybody was late except me. I was the only one to arrive on time.