Look to be + Noun / Adjective

Question

Hi teachers!

I have just looked up in the web dictionary and read "look to be something is as same as seem/appear to be something" in meaning.

This made me have a few questions regarding the intransitive verb "look, seem, appear", which are followed by complement.

Please check the senteces below and let me know which are ungrammatical.

1. She looks a princess. (X)

2. She looks to be a princess (?)

3. She appears/seems a princess (x)

4. She appears/seems to be a princess (0)

5. She looks/seems/appears like a princess (0)

6. She seems/appears (to be) happy. (0)

6. She looks happy (0)

7. She looks to be happy (?)

7. She seems/appears to study hard. (0)

9. She looks to study hard (?)

As always, thank you very much native teachers.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Michelle ChaI have just looked up in the web dictionary

Which one? If I can see what you have seen, I can tell what's going on.

Michelle Chand read "look to be something is as same as seem/appear to be something" in meaning.

I don't think that is true. To look to be something is to aspire to be it.

Michelle Cha1. She looks a princess. (X)

That is good English but rather literary and old-fashioned. It means that she presents the appearance of a princess.

Michelle Cha2. She looks to be a princess (?)

She wants to marry a prince.

Michelle Cha3. She appears/seems a princess (x)

This is like number one. Nobody would say that, but you could see it in older writing. "Seems" is more likely than "appears".

Michelle Cha4. She appears/seems to be a princess (0)

You have no certain knowledge of her royal status, but something about her gives you reason to believe she is a princess.

Michelle Cha5. She looks/seems/appears like a princess (0)

"Appears" does not work with "like". "Looks like" can mean that her appearance makes you believe she is a princess or that her appearance is typical of princesses. "Seems like" is the same but goes beyond visual impressions to her manner.

Michelle Cha6. She seems/appears (to be) happy. (0)

With or without "to be", it means that she gives you the impression that she is happy.

Michelle Cha6. She looks happy (0)

You can see that she is happy.

Michelle Cha7. She looks to be happy (?)

That sentence is a bit unlikely. She is trying to arrange things so that she will be happy.

Michelle Cha7. She seems/appears to study hard. (0)

You have reason to believe that she studies hard.

Michelle Cha9. She looks to study hard (?)

I'm going to say no to this one.

Michelle ChaAs always, thank you very much native teachers.

I am native, but I am not a teacher by trade.

Look to be + Noun / Adjective

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions