This question is too difficult to be understood.

0 The first sentence is fine.02br
00The second sentence is fine if the reader understands the ellipsis ("for me") before 'to understand'. Questions don't understand; they are understood.02br
02br
00Compare:02br
00The sentence is too difficult to understand.02br
00The student is too ignorant to understand.02br
00[The structures

0This question is too difficult to be understood. = 01sup^{00passive structure, it's not what a native would say in converation even though it looks grammatical02sup}00. 02br
02br
00This question is too difficult to understand. = This would be considered a normal speech pattern and this in essence is saying: 02br
00This question is too diff

0Philip, Goodman,02br
00I wouldn't get so specific as to say that "for me" is the missing piece in 01i00difficult (for me) to understand02i00.02br
00I'd say 01i00difficult (for someone) to understand02i00.02br
00Trivial point, but true, I think. 05002br
02br
00CJ 010id1

0 01blockquote

01cite10Philip12cite10The sentence is too difficult to understand.12br
10The student is too ignorant to understand.12blockquote

10The specific adjective determines whether the subject of the sentence is the subject or the object of the infinitive.02br
01i00difficult 02i00goes

0 01blockquote

01cite10Angliholic12cite10Do both of the above sound right and mean about the same to you?12blockquote

10 In these cases, the active infinitive is taken as having passive meaning, so there is no need to spell it out with the fully passive structure. In fact, it seems a bit pedantic that way.02br
00CJ 0-