Ready to Leave, Happy to Help
In this lesson, you can use ready for a thing and ready to do something.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Choose a short recording.
Before you start
Say what you are ready to do.
See one possible response
I’m ready to start.
A volunteer team prepares to welcome visitors to a local exhibition.
What you will practise
- Use ready for a thing and ready to do something.
- Say happy to help and other simple reactions.
- Explain a reaction with a suitable action.
Answer first. Then check one model. Keep the meaning and the target pattern.
Ready for a thing, ready to act
Use ready for before a noun: ready for the meeting. Use ready to before a base verb: ready to start. The person described as ready is normally the person who will do the action in this simple pattern.
We’re ready for the visitors.
We’re ready to open the doors.
Happy or glad to do something
Happy to help and glad to meet you connect a feeling with an action. Keep to before the base verb. The adjective describes the person; the infinitive names the action connected to the feeling.
I’m happy to help today.
I’m glad to meet the new team.
A reaction to new information
Adjectives such as surprised and sorry can be followed by to hear or to see. These phrases say what caused the reaction. Keep the explanation simple and name the information when needed.
I’m sorry to hear about the delay.
We’re surprised to see so many visitors.
Guided practice
Say or write your answer first. Then compare the meaning and grammar with the model.
1. We’re ready ___ lunch.
Compare a model and explanation
for
Lunch is a noun here.
Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.
2. We’re ready ___ eat.
Compare a model and explanation
to
Eat is a base verb.
Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.
3. I’m happy help you.
Compare a model and explanation
I’m happy to help you.
The adjective takes a to-infinitive in this pattern.
Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.
4. to / glad / I’m / you / meet
Compare a model and explanation
I’m glad to meet you.
The adjective is followed by to meet.
Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.
5. A friend says their train is cancelled. Use sorry to hear.
Compare a model and explanation
I’m sorry to hear that.
This responds to the information rather than admitting responsibility.
Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.
6. Ready for the trip. Ready to travel. Which has a verb after to?
Compare a model and explanation
Ready to travel.
Travel is the action; trip is a noun after for.
Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.
7. Anna is ready to speak. Who is ready, and who will speak?
Compare a model and explanation
Anna is ready, and Anna will speak.
Both roles belong to Anna in this simple pattern.
Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.
8. You are prepared for class and willing to explain the first task.
Compare a model and explanation
I’m ready for class, and I’m happy to explain the first task.
Use a noun after for and a verb after to.
Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.
A short conversation
Listen to the exchange, then take one role. The speaker labels identify roles; do not narrate them.
Open the conversation transcript
Coordinator: Are you ready to welcome the visitors?
Volunteer: Yes. I’m ready for the first group.
Coordinator: I’m glad to hear that. Can you explain the tickets too?
Volunteer: Of course. I’m happy to help.
Listening checks
Listen to each extract, then choose the best answer. These three questions have their own score.
Answer key with explanations
What is the speaker not ready to do?
Give the talk.: The negative readiness is linked to this action.
Compare all choices
- Attend the meeting at all.: They say they are ready for the meeting.
- Hear any information.: That is not stated.
- Give the talk.: The negative readiness is linked to this action.
What is the speaker doing?
Reacting sympathetically to news.: Sorry to hear expresses a reaction to the information.
Compare all choices
- Reacting sympathetically to news.: Sorry to hear expresses a reaction to the information.
- Offering to buy a new camera.: No offer is stated.
- Admitting they broke the camera.: The phrase does not itself admit responsibility.
What action is offered positively?
Answering questions.: Happy to answer presents this willingness.
Compare all choices
- Cancelling the visit.: No cancellation is mentioned.
- Answering questions.: Happy to answer presents this willingness.
- Leaving without speaking.: The group welcomes questions.
Mastery quiz
Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.
Answer key with explanations
Complete: I’m ready ___ the interview.
for: A noun phrase follows for.
Compare all choices
- to: To needs an action verb in this target contrast.
- for: A noun phrase follows for.
- at: At does not form the intended readiness complement.
Complete: I’m ready ___ start.
to: To introduces the base verb start.
Compare all choices
- of: Of does not form this readiness pattern.
- for: For cannot directly introduce this base verb in the target pattern.
- to: To introduces the base verb start.
Choose the natural offer.
I’m happy to help.: Happy is followed by a to-infinitive.
Compare all choices
- I’m happy to help.: Happy is followed by a to-infinitive.
- I’m happy help.: To is missing.
- I’m happily to help.: An adjective is needed after am here.
Complete: We’re glad to ___ you.
meet: Use a base verb after to.
Compare all choices
- met: The past form does not follow infinitival to.
- meet: Use a base verb after to.
- meeting: This is not the infinitive form here.
What does I’m sorry to hear that normally do in this context of bad news?
Express a sympathetic reaction.: The phrase reacts to hearing the news.
Compare all choices
- Prove the speaker caused the problem.: It does not establish responsibility.
- Give an instruction to stop listening.: It is a reaction, not that instruction.
- Express a sympathetic reaction.: The phrase reacts to hearing the news.
Anna is ready to leave. Who will leave in this simple sentence?
Anna.: The person ready is also the understood actor of leave.
Compare all choices
- Anna.: The person ready is also the understood actor of leave.
- Nobody can be identified.: Anna supplies the ordinary actor in this pattern.
- An unnamed teacher only.: No such actor is supplied.
Choose the correctly formed reaction.
I’m surprised to see you here.: The adjective takes to see.
Compare all choices
- I’m surprise seeing to you here.: The adjective form and complement order are wrong.
- I’m surprised to see you here.: The adjective takes to see.
- I’m surprised to saw you here.: Saw is not the base verb after to.
Choose the sentence with both patterns correct.
We’re ready for lunch and happy to wait.: For takes the noun; to takes the verb.
Compare all choices
- We’re ready lunch for and happy wait to.: The complements are in the wrong order.
- We’re ready to lunch and happy for wait.: The noun/verb complements do not fit these target patterns.
- We’re ready for lunch and happy to wait.: For takes the noun; to takes the verb.
Use it in your own words
Ready now?
Say one thing you are ready for and one action you are ready to do.
Reveal a possible response
I’m ready for the lesson. I’m ready to ask questions.
- Use for before a noun
- Use to before a base verb
Details may be fictional.
Respond to news
React to a pleasant introduction and to a friend’s travel delay.
Reveal a possible response
I’m glad to meet you. I’m sorry to hear about the delay.
- Use two suitable reactions
- Keep each infinitive clear
Other natural reactions are acceptable.
Put it all together
You join a community project. Explain your readiness, offer one action and react positively to meeting the team.
Reveal a possible response
I’m ready for the project. I’m ready to start today. I’m happy to organise the books, and I’m glad to meet everyone.
- Contrast noun and action complements
- Offer useful help
- Include a reaction
Choose a different project and action without changing the patterns.
Take it with you
Use ready for with a noun and ready to with a verb. Familiar adjectives can take infinitives for reactions. Keep the person doing the action clear.