3.153 commenting on willingness

If you want to say that someone is willing or unwilling to do something, you can use a 'to'-infinitive clause after a complement.

• They were willing to risk losing their jobs.
• I am anxious to meet Mrs Burton-Cox.
• She is eager to succeed.
• He is unwilling to answer questions.
• I was reluctant to involve myself in this private fight.

The complement must be an adjective such as 'willing' or 'unwilling'. You cannot use noun groups as complements in constructions of this kind. For example, you can say 'He was willing to come', but you cannot say 'He was a willing person to come'.