#72 - "Be" Verbs + Adjective Combinations Followed by Infinitives - English Grammar

"Be" Verbs + Adjective Combinations indicate a state of being with an adjective. An infinitive is a verb combined with the word "to": to see, to run, to start, etc. An infinitive after a "be" verb and adjective combination indicates what the adjective is referring to: was ("be" verb) + happy (adjective) + to see (infinitive).

"Be" Verbs + Adjective Combinations Followed by Infinitives

"Be" Verb	Adjective	Infinitive	Complete Sentence
Am	Scared	To talk	I am scared to talk to my boss.
Is	Eager	To start	Julie is eager to start her new job.
Is	Anxious	To buy	Bill is anxious to buy a new car.
Was	Happy	To see	Jane was happy to see her friend.
Was	Glad	To help	Bob was glad to help.
Were	Sad	To hear	They were sad to hear the news.
Were	Ashamed	To tell	We were ashamed to tell the truth.

"Be" Verbs + Adjective Combinations Followed by Infinitives can be turned into negative sentences.

Negative sentences need "not" after the "be" verb.

I am not scared to talk to my boss
She is not eager to start her new job.
Bill is not anxious to buy a new car.
Jane was not happy to see her friend.
Bob was not glad to help.
They were not sad to hear the news.
We were not ashamed to tell the truth.

"Be" Verbs + Adjective Combinations followed by Infinitives can be turned into questions or interrogative sentences.

The "be" verb comes first in these sentences. They always end with a question mark (?).

Is Julie eager to start her new job?
Is Bill anxious to buy a new car?
Was Jane happy to see her friend?
Was Bob glad to help?
Were they sad to hear the news?