Angliholic  +  508166 Thu, 01 May 08 03:50 PM This question is too difficult to be understood. This question is too difficult to understand.   Hi, Do both of the above sound right and mean about the same to you? Thanks. Angliholic Joined on Wed, Feb 14 2007 SomewhereinFormosa Veteran Member 6,474 Without true love, life is meaningless and worthless since our physical world is nothing but a dream. ~~Angliholic~~簡瑞達

	Philip  +  508188 Thu, 01 May 08 05:11 PM The first sentence is fine. The second sentence is fine if the reader understands the ellipsis ("for me") before 'to understand'.  Questions don't understand; they are understood. Compare: The sentence is too difficult to understand. The student is too ignorant to understand. [The structures look identical, but the meanings are entirely different.] Another good example:  Time flies like an arrow.                                     Fruit flies like a banana. Philip Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005 Veteran Member 8,733 At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen

	Goodman  +  508210 Thu, 01 May 08 06:32 PM This question is too difficult to be understood. = passive structure, it's not what a native would say in converation even though it looks grammatical. This question is too difficult to understand. = This would be considered a normal speech pattern and this in essence is saying: This question is too difficult [for me] to understand. Goodman Joined on Mon, Nov 7 2005 Senior Member 3,816 The name says it all!

	CalifJim  +  508334 Fri, 02 May 08 03:58 AM Philip, Goodman, I wouldn't get so specific as to say that "for me" is the missing piece in difficult (for me) to understand. I'd say difficult (for someone) to understand. Trivial point, but true, I think.  CJ  CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,385 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

	CalifJim  +  508339 Fri, 02 May 08 04:05 AM Philip “The sentence is too difficult to understand. The student is too ignorant to understand.”   The specific adjective determines whether the subject of the sentence is the subject or the object of the infinitive. difficult goes in the same group as easy, tough, hard, ... ignorant goes in the same group as eager, pleased, ... Once in a while you'll run across an adjective that can go either way, giving an ambiguous sentence: The chicken is ready to eat. CJ  CalifJim

	CalifJim  +  508341 Fri, 02 May 08 04:09 AM Angliholic “Do both of the above sound right and mean about the same to you?” 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. CJ  CalifJim