Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

Teo · Joined: 15 Oct 2005 Posts: 193 Location: Taiwan

1. Getting up early is not easy.

2. To get up early is not easy.

3. It is not easy getting up early.

4. It is not easy to get up early.

Which of the above sentences is not acceptable?
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LucentShade · Joined: 30 Dec 2003 Posts: 542 Location: Nebraska, USA

All can be acceptable, but 1 & 4 are the most natural. 2 is grammatically correct, but most people in conversations would use Ving to make a verbal noun in that case. 3 is a tough call--I would say this sentence with a slight pause, as in, "It's not easy, getting up early." Or, "It's hard, living away from your parents' house."