Study the following sentences. They are in the pattern ‘adjective + of + noun / pronoun + to-infinitive’.
- It was good of him to help the poor man.
- It is foolish of him to throw away his chances like that.
- It was clever of him to solve the problem so quickly.
These sentences can be rewritten in the interrogative and exclamatory forms.
- How good of him to help the poor man!
- How foolish of him to throw away his chances like that!
- How clever of him to solve the problem so quickly!
- Wasn’t it good of him to help the poor man?
- Isn’t it foolish of him to throw away his chances like that?
- Wasn’t it clever of him to solve the problem so quickly?
Exercise
Rewrite the following sentences in the exclamatory and interrogative forms.
1. It is kind of you to invite us.
2. It was foolish of him to behave like that.
3. It was prudent of the boy to alert the policeman.
4. It was careless of him to leave the door unlocked.
Answers
1. How kind of you to invite us! / Isn’t it kind of you to invite us?
2. How foolish of him to behave like that! / Wasn’t it foolish of him to behave like that?
3. How prudent of the boy to alert the policeman! / Wasn’t it prudent of the boy to alert the policeman?
4. How careless of him to leave the door unlocked! / Wasn’t it careless of him to leave the door unlocked?