[General] She is too polite a person to refuse.

[sitifan]

1. She is too polite a person to refuse. (Practical English Usage, Michael Swan)
2. She is too polite a person to refuse others. (my own sentence)
3. She is too polite a person to be refused by others. (my own sentence)

Are the above sentences grammatically correct?
Does sentence #1 have the same meaning as #2 or #3?

 

[SoothingDave]

Nope.

 

[sitifan]

Nope.

Do you mean none of the three sentences is grammatical?

 

[tedmc]

1.

She is too polite a person to refuse. (Practical English Usage, Michael Swan)
People wouldn't want to turn her down if she asked for a favour.

2. She is too polite a person to refuse others. (my own sentence)
She wouldn't turn others down.

3. She is too polite a person to be refused by others. (my own sentence)
People would generally oblige if she asked.


Are the above sentences grammatically correct?
Does sentence #1 have the same meaning as #2 or #3?

My interpretation is as above. 1 & 3 have the same meaning.

 

[jutfrank]

I'm pretty sure the Swan example is supposed to mean that she won't say no to whoever it is supposed is going to ask her to do something.

 

[Tarheel]

She is too polite a person to refuse.

She won't turn you down if you ask her for something.

There is clearly more than one interpretation possible. What does context indicate?

Politeness has very little to do with it. You might not have time to do what somebody asks you to do. Or maybe you don't have the ability to do it. So you politely say no.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

1. She is too polite a person to refuse. (Practical English Usage, Michael Swan)

It's grammatical but ambiguous. It might mean:

- You can't refuse to help her because she's so polite.

- She's so polite that she won't refuse, even if she wants to.

More context would make the meaning clear.

2. She is too polite a person to refuse others. (my own sentence)

It's grammatical and natural.

3. She is too polite a person to be refused by others. (my own sentence)

It's also grammatical and natural.

Are the above sentences grammatically correct?

Yes.

Does sentence #1 have the same meaning as #2 or #3?

There's no way to know which one it means without more information.

That's all I know.