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Park sang joon Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
An object of to-infinitive.
1. The ladder was so heavy that I couldn't carry it.
2. = The ladder was too heavy for me to carry.
I'd like to know in #2, why I must drop 'it', the object of 'to carry' ?
Thank you in advance for your help.
2. = The ladder was too heavy for me to carry.
I'd like to know in #2, why I must drop 'it', the object of 'to carry' ?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
The ladder was too heavy [ for me to carry ]. This is what Huddleston and Pullum call a hollow clause, a non-finite clause with some missing non-subject element (normally an object of a verb or preposition) whose interpretation is obtained from an antecedent expression, here the ladder . Usually hollow clauses have to be permitted – or licensed – by a certain word, often a predicative adjective like easy , hard , difficult ( Most of the album was hard to listen to ).
- The ladder was too heavy [ for me to carry ].
- This is what Huddleston and Pullum call a hollow clause, a non-finite clause with some missing non-subject element (normally an object of a verb or preposition) whose interpretation is obtained from an antecedent expression, here the ladder .
- Usually hollow clauses have to be permitted – or licensed – by a certain word, often a predicative adjective like easy , hard , difficult ( Most of the album was hard to listen to ).
- In your example the licensing word is too .
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5 Answers
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The ladder was too heavy [for me to carry].
This is what Huddleston and Pullum call a hollow clause, a non-finite clause with some missing non-subject element (normally an object of a verb or preposition) whose interpretation is obtained from an antecedent expression, here the ladder.
Usually hollow clauses have to be permitted – or licensed – by a certain word, o
This is what Huddleston and Pullum call a hollow clause, a non-finite clause with some missing non-subject element (normally an object of a verb or preposition) whose interpretation is obtained from an antecedent expression, here the ladder.
Usually hollow clauses have to be permitted – or licensed – by a certain word, o
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Thank you, Apara Gus, for your elaborate answer.
I'd like to know whether hollow clause can be permitted with 'enough' of the structure "enough~to"?
I'd like to know whether hollow clause can be permitted with 'enough' of the structure "enough~to"?
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park sang joonI'd like to know whether hollow clause can be permitted with 'enough' of the structure "enough~to"?It can. (I don’t have enough money left to spare.)
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Thank you, Aspara Gus, for your continuing support. 
3. The movie wasn't good enough for me to commend it.
The
3. The movie wasn't good enough for me to commend it.
The
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park sang joon3. The movie wasn't good enough for me to commend it. Then, can I drop "it" in #3 ?Yes. I would.
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