0

I do know an adjective (without a noun) in this construction can be followed by a to-infinitive, as in:

  1. It is not acceptable to kill a goat in that way.

  2. It is not good to kill him here.

But, is it also grammatical to insert a noun after the adjective without changing anything else in the construction? As in:

  1. It is not a good job to kill a goat that way.

  2. It's not a wise decision to kill him here.

What I am asking about is the construction in which the to-infinitive modifies the adjective+noun, not the one in which the to-infinitive describes the perception of the doer, like:

It is not an easy question (for me) to deal with.

7
  • 2
    All your examples are extraposition constructions, where the infinitival clauses do not modify the adjectives or nouns, but are extraposed subjects outside the verb phrase.
    – BillJ
    Sep 21, 2019 at 6:42
  • Is it okay to put no comma before these extraposed subjects? Sep 21, 2019 at 7:21
  • 1
    Yes: No comma is required. Your examples are acceptable.
    – BillJ
    Sep 21, 2019 at 7:24
  • 1
    Hello, Fadli. It can often be difficult to isolate syntax from semantics in trickier constructions, but it's usually vital. Here, as BillJ explains clearly, your relevant examples are all sentences where the to-infinitival clause is the 'subject' and not a 'modifier' in the sentence (I've highlighted both the well-known term and the one whose meaning is usually not fully grasped by many; both are precisely (if not always consensually) defined terms in grammar). The extraposed version is more commonly used than the non-extraposed one, perhaps surprisingly (but English doesn't like ... Sep 21, 2019 at 11:09
  • 1
    long subjects). // Your discounted example (I've tinkered with it to make a more natural-sounding but equivalent sentence) is structurally different. Here, the to-infinitival clause (together with the adjective) arguably mirrors a relative clause: It was not a question that was easy to deal with / It was not an easy-to-deal-with question (don't use that version – it's just to illustrate the point), and it could be said to modify the adjective. Sep 21, 2019 at 11:17

1 Answer 1

2

It is not good / a wise decision [to kill him here].

Your example is acceptable, but the infinitival clause does not modify "good" or "wise decision". This is a subject extraposition construction where the subordinate clause is an extraposed subject, outside the verb phrase.

The non-extraposed equivalent would be:

[To kill him here] is not good / a wise decision.

Here, the infinitival clause is not a modifier, but subject of the sentence.

The same applies to your other examples.

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.