Trouvez des professeurs en Anglais
Jordi Jorge
Be afraid to do something / Be afraid of doing something (Which one is correct?)
I would like to know which of these two forms is the correct one to use "to be afraid to do something" or "to be afraid of doing something."
Examples:
1.a. I'm afraid to ask what it costs.
1.b. I'm afraid of asking what it costs.
2.a. I'm afraid to find out the truth.
2.b. I'm afraid of finding out the truth.
15 juin 2020 23:49
Réponses · 4
Thanks, Mariana.
16 juin 2020
Afraid meaning ‘feeling fear’
Afraid as an adjective means ‘feeling fear’. We use it with of + noun, of + -ing form, a to-infinitive or a that-clause:
Are you afraid of the dark? (of + noun)
She seemed afraid of walking home alone. (of + -ing form)
If you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask. (to-infinitive)
They looked afraid that we might get lost in the city centre. (that-clause)
Source: Cambridge Dictionary/ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/afraid
16 juin 2020
Excellent! Thanks, Lucia.
16 juin 2020
I would say that neither are wrong or incorrect, but the second ones (1b and 2b) are slightly more natural sounding and would be how I would say it as a native English speaker. Again, you may hear either version in the US (not sure about other English speaking countries though).
16 juin 2020
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Jordi Jorge
Compétences linguistiques
Anglais, Italien, Espagnol
Langue étudiée
Anglais
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