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too

too and very​

Too is different from very – too means ‘more than enough’, ‘more than necessary’ or ‘more than is wanted’. Compare:

  • He’s a very intelligent child.
    He’s too intelligent for his class – he’s not learning anything.
  • It was very cold, but we went out.
    It was too cold to go out, so we stayed at home.

too and too much​

Before adjectives without nouns and before adverbs we use too, not too much.

  • You’re too kind to me. (not You’re too much kind to me.)
  • I arrived too early. (not I arrived too much early.)

Too much is used, for example, before nouns. For details, (see here).

  • I’ve got too much work.

Modification: much too, far too, etc​

Expressions which modify comparatives (see here) also modify too.

  • much too old (not very too old)
  • a lot too big
  • far too young
  • a little too confident
  • a bit too soon
  • rather too often

Not used before adjective + noun​

Too is not normally used before adjective + noun.

  • I put down the bag because it was too heavy. (not … the too heavy bag.)
  • She doesn’t like men who are too tall. (not She doesn’t like too tall men.)
  • Let’s forget this problem – it’s too difficult. (not … this too difficult problem.)

In a rather formal style, too can be used before adjective + a/an + noun (see here). Note the word order.

  • It’s too cold a day for tennis.

too … + infinitive​

We can use an infinitive structure after too + adjective/adverb.

  • He’s too old to work.
  • It’s far too cold to go out.

We can also use an infinitive structure after too much/many.

  • There was too much snow to go walking.

If the infinitive has its own subject, this is introduced by for (see here).

  • It’s too late for the pubs to be open.
  • There was too much snow for us to go walking.

too salty to drink, etc​

The subject of a sentence with too can also be the object of a following infinitive. (For more about this structure, (see here). Object pronouns are not normally used after the infinitive in this case.

  • The water is too salty to drink. (not The water is too salty to drink it.)

However, object pronouns are possible in structures with for.

  • The water is too salty for us to drink (it).

Note the two possible meanings of sentences like He’s too stupid to teach:

1. He’s too stupid to be a teacher.

2. He’s too stupid for anyone to teach – he can’t be taught.

That’s really too kind of you.​

In informal speech too can sometimes be used to mean ‘very’.

  • Oh, that’s really too kind of you – thank you so much.
  • I’m not feeling too well.

only too …​

The expression only too is used to mean ‘very’, ‘extremely’. It is common in formal offers and invitations.

  • We will be only too pleased if you can spend a few days with us.
note

For too meaning ‘also’, (see here).