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Using infinitive and -ing constructions after adjectives and nouns.
Practice: build the sentences →Adjectives and nouns can be followed by different infinitive, gerund, and prepositional constructions.
The correct pattern depends on the adjective or noun and the meaning expressed by the complement.
I am happy to help.
Я рад помочь.
Adjective + to-infinitive.
She is interested in learning.
Она заинтересована в обучении.
Adjective + preposition + gerund.
He made a decision to leave.
Он принял решение уйти.
Noun + to-infinitive.
Many adjectives can be followed directly by a to-infinitive.
For example, happy to help, ready to leave, difficult to understand, and likely to happen.
I am happy to help.
Я рад помочь.
Happy + to-infinitive.
She is ready to leave.
Она готова уйти.
Ready + to-infinitive.
The book is difficult to understand.
Книгу сложно понять.
Difficult + to-infinitive.
When an adjective is followed by a preposition, a following verb normally takes the gerund form.
For example, interested in learning, afraid of making mistakes, and good at solving problems.
She is interested in learning English.
Она заинтересована в изучении английского.
Interested in + gerund.
He is afraid of making mistakes.
Он боится совершать ошибки.
Afraid of + gerund.
She is good at solving problems.
Она хорошо решает проблемы.
Good at + gerund.
Some adjective constructions use for + object + to-infinitive to identify who is expected to perform the action.
For example, It is important for students to understand the rule.
It is important for students to understand the rule.
Важно, чтобы студенты понимали правило.
For + object + to-infinitive.
It is difficult for me to understand.
Мне сложно понять.
For me + to-infinitive.
Enough can follow an adjective before a to-infinitive to express sufficient degree for an action.
For example, The box is light enough to carry.
The box is light enough to carry.
Коробка достаточно лёгкая, чтобы её нести.
Adjective + enough + to-infinitive.
She is old enough to drive.
Она достаточно взрослая, чтобы водить.
Old enough + to-infinitive.
Too can come before an adjective followed by a to-infinitive to express excessive degree for an action.
For example, The bag is too heavy to carry.
The bag is too heavy to carry.
Сумка слишком тяжёлая, чтобы её нести.
Too + adjective + to-infinitive.
He is too young to drive.
Он слишком молод, чтобы водить машину.
Too young to drive.
Some adjectives can be followed by of + object + to-infinitive when judging a person's behaviour or action.
For example, It was kind of you to help and It was careless of him to leave the door open.
It was kind of you to help.
Было мило с твоей стороны помочь.
Of + object + to-infinitive.
It was careless of him to leave the door open.
Было небрежно с его стороны оставить дверь открытой.
Judging someone's behaviour.
Adjectives describing emotions or reactions can be followed by a to-infinitive.
For example, I am pleased to meet you, She was surprised to hear the news, and He is sorry to interrupt.
I am pleased to meet you.
Приятно познакомиться с вами.
Pleased + to-infinitive.
She was surprised to hear the news.
Она была удивлена, услышав новости.
Surprised + to-infinitive.
He is sorry to interrupt.
Он сожалеет, что прерывает.
Sorry + to-infinitive.
Adjectives can be followed by a to-infinitive when evaluating difficulty, possibility, importance, or suitability.
For example, difficult to explain, easy to use, impossible to predict, and useful to know.
The problem is difficult to explain.
Проблему сложно объяснить.
Difficult + to-infinitive.
This app is easy to use.
Это приложение легко использовать.
Easy + to-infinitive.
The outcome is impossible to predict.
Исход невозможно предсказать.
Impossible + to-infinitive.
Some adjectives require particular prepositions before a following noun, pronoun, or gerund.
For example, interested in, responsible for, capable of, and opposed to.
She is interested in music.
Она интересуется музыкой.
Interested in + noun.
He is responsible for the project.
Он отвечает за проект.
Responsible for + noun.
She is capable of solving it.
Она способна это решить.
Capable of + gerund.
Many nouns can be followed by a to-infinitive describing an action, possibility, purpose, or intended outcome.
For example, a decision to leave, a chance to win, a plan to expand, and a need to change.
He made a decision to leave.
Он принял решение уйти.
Decision + to-infinitive.
She has a chance to win.
У неё есть шанс победить.
Chance + to-infinitive.
They announced a plan to expand.
Они объявили план расширения.
Plan + to-infinitive.
A noun can be followed by a to-infinitive that explains its purpose or intended use.
For example, a machine to clean the floor and a tool to remove the screws.
This is a machine to clean the floor.
Это машина для мытья пола.
Noun + to-infinitive for purpose.
I need a tool to remove the screws.
Мне нужен инструмент, чтобы выкрутить винты.
Noun + to-infinitive for purpose.
Some nouns are commonly followed by of + gerund when referring to an activity or process.
For example, the idea of moving abroad, the possibility of finding a solution, and the risk of losing money.
I like the idea of moving abroad.
Мне нравится идея переезда за границу.
Idea of + gerund.
There is a possibility of finding a solution.
Есть возможность найти решение.
Possibility of + gerund.
There is a risk of losing money.
Есть риск потерять деньги.
Risk of + gerund.
Nouns followed by a preposition take a gerund when another verb follows.
For example, difficulty in understanding, interest in learning, and experience of working abroad.
She had difficulty in understanding the instructions.
Ей было трудно понять инструкции.
Difficulty in + gerund.
He has an interest in learning languages.
У него есть интерес к изучению языков.
Interest in + gerund.
She has experience of working abroad.
У неё есть опыт работы за границей.
Experience of + gerund.
Some noun constructions use for + object + to-infinitive to identify who is expected or intended to perform an action.
For example, There is no reason for you to worry and It is a good idea for everyone to arrive early.
There is no reason for you to worry.
Нет причин тебе беспокоиться.
Reason for + object + to-infinitive.
It is a good idea for everyone to arrive early.
Хорошая идея — всем прийти рано.
Idea for + object + to-infinitive.
Some nouns can combine with of + object + to-infinitive in structures that evaluate or characterize a person's action.
For example, It was kind of John to help us.
It was kind of John to help us.
Было мило со стороны Джона помочь нам.
Of + object + to-infinitive.
It was careless of her to forget the keys.
Было небрежно с её стороны забыть ключи.
Of + object + to-infinitive.
Certain adjective and noun structures use an infinitive to describe a resulting or consequential situation.
For example, He was surprised to discover the mistake and It was a shock to hear the news.
He was surprised to discover the mistake.
Он был удивлён, обнаружив ошибку.
Surprised + to-infinitive for result.
It was a shock to hear the news.
Было шоком услышать эту новость.
Noun + to-infinitive for result.
Enough has different positions depending on whether it modifies an adjective, adverb, or noun.
For example, She is old enough to drive, but She has enough experience to manage the team.
She is old enough to drive.
Она достаточно взрослая, чтобы водить машину.
Adjective + enough.
She has enough experience to manage the team.
У неё достаточно опыта, чтобы руководить командой.
Enough + noun.
Too can combine with for + object + to-infinitive when identifying who cannot perform the action because of excessive degree.
For example, The box is too heavy for me to carry.
The box is too heavy for me to carry.
Коробка слишком тяжёлая, чтобы я мог её нести.
Too + adjective + for + object + to-infinitive.
The task is too difficult for him to complete.
Задача слишком сложна, чтобы он мог её выполнить.
Too difficult for him to complete.
Some adjectives followed by an infinitive have an implied object that can be understood from context.
For example, This book is difficult to read means that someone finds reading the book difficult.
This book is difficult to read.
Эту книгу сложно читать.
Implied object: the book.
The problem is easy to solve.
Эту проблему легко решить.
Implied object: the problem.
Some meanings can be expressed with either an adjective + to-infinitive or an adjective + preposition + gerund, depending on the adjective and intended structure.
For example, ready to leave contrasts with interested in leaving; the complement pattern is selected by the adjective.
She is ready to leave.
Она готова уйти.
Ready + to-infinitive.
She is interested in leaving early.
Она заинтересована в том, чтобы уйти рано.
Interested in + gerund.
Different noun patterns can express closely related meanings but are determined by the lexical pattern of the noun.
For example, a decision to leave and the idea of leaving use different complement structures.
He made a decision to leave.
Он принял решение уйти.
Decision + to-infinitive.
I like the idea of leaving.
Мне нравится идея ухода.
Idea of + gerund.
Some adjective constructions can take different complements depending on the intended meaning or grammatical relationship.
The meaning difference is usually controlled by the adjective or preposition rather than by a general rule that all adjectives accept both forms.
She is good at cooking.
Она хорошо готовит.
Good at + gerund.
She is happy to cook for us.
Она рада приготовить для нас.
Happy + to-infinitive.
Formal English frequently uses noun and adjective + infinitive constructions to make descriptions concise and explicit.
Examples include likely to increase, difficult to determine, and a tendency to rise.
Prices are likely to increase.
Цены, вероятно, вырастут.
Likely + to-infinitive.
The outcome is difficult to determine.
Исход сложно определить.
Difficult + to-infinitive.
There is a tendency to rise.
Наблюдается тенденция к росту.
Noun + to-infinitive.
Use the complement pattern required by the adjective or noun and preserve any required preposition or object.
Common mistakes include using a gerund directly after an adjective that requires to, omitting for before an object + infinitive, using to instead of a gerund after a preposition, and confusing of + gerund with to-infinitive patterns.
I am happy to help.
Я рад помочь.
Correct: adjective + to-infinitive.
I am happy helping.
Я рад помочь.
Incorrect: "happy" requires to-infinitive in this meaning.
She is interested in learning English.
Она заинтересована в изучении английского.
Correct: preposition + gerund.
She is interested in to learn English.
Она заинтересована в изучении английского.
Incorrect: no infinitive after preposition.
It is important for students to understand.
Важно, чтобы студенты понимали.
Correct: for + object + to-infinitive.
It is important students to understand.
Важно, чтобы студенты понимали.
Incorrect: missing "for".