Complete the following sentence using infinitives Her tale of woe was pitiful ———+++
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Her tale of woe was pitiful to hear.
Explanation:
The sentence uses the infinitive “to hear” to complete the idea. Infinitives, which consist of “to” followed by a base verb (e.g., to eat, to speak, to learn), are often used to express purpose, intention, or, in this case, a resulting state of the subject’s experience.
- Infinitives as Complements: In English, infinitives can serve as complements that provide more detail about the action or situation described in the sentence. The phrase “Her tale of woe was pitiful” describes the emotional state or condition of her tale. To describe what was pitiful, the infinitive “to hear” is used. It tells us that hearing the tale would evoke pity, thus completing the meaning of the sentence.
- Infinitive in Sentences with Adjectives: Infinitives often follow adjectives to provide further explanation. The adjective “pitiful” here describes how the tale was perceived. Using “to hear” emphasizes that it was the act of hearing the tale that made it pitiful. This shows how the adjective interacts with the infinitive to explain the cause or reason behind the emotional reaction to the tale.
- Contextual Use: If you were to rewrite the sentence differently, you might say “Her tale of woe was pitiful to listen to,” or “Her tale of woe was pitiful for others to hear.” The core idea remains the same, but different infinitive structures can be employed to shift the emphasis or tone.
By using the infinitive “to hear,” the sentence becomes more precise in expressing that the pity arises from the act of hearing her story.
