Can you help me with this sentence?
I saw a quite long sentence from a vedio as following.

I believe I speak for millions of people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and many in Scotland, too,
who would be utterly heart-broken by the break-up of the United Kingdom.Utterly heart-broken to wake up on Friday morning to the end of the country we love to know that Scots would no longer join with the English, Welsh and Northern Irish in our Army, Navy and Air Forcein our UK-wide celebrations and commemorations.in UK sporting teams from the Olympics to the British Lions.

I just want to ask why in the line2 uses "utterly heart-broken by…",but in the end of line2 uses "Utterly heart-broken to…"

What's the difference?

Thank you in advance.

Question

Can you help me with this sentence?
I saw a quite long sentence from a vedio as following.

I believe I speak for millions of people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and many in Scotland, too,
who would be utterly heart-broken by the break-up of the United Kingdom.Utterly heart-broken to wake up on Friday morning to the end of the country we love to know that Scots would no longer join with the English, Welsh and Northern Irish in our Army, Navy and Air Forcein our UK-wide celebrations and commemorations.in UK sporting teams from the Olympics to the British Lions.

I just want to ask why in the line2 uses "utterly heart-broken by…",but in the end of line2 uses "Utterly heart-broken to…"

What's the difference?

Thank you in advance.

Answer

The first example requires "by" because it's followed by a noun. It's a passive construction. The second example requires "to" because it's followed by the infinitive form of the verb.

Answer

Because the first "heart-broken (by)" is followed by a noun, and the second "heart-broken (to)" is followed by a verb.

Heart-broken by *NOUN* (here, "heart-broken by the break-up of the United Kingdom").

Heart-broken to *VERB* (here, "heart-broken to wake up Friday morning...")

Answer

Basically, "utterly heart-broken by (noun)" and "utterly heart-broken to (verb)".

Answers · 6

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