Page 621 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford
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The water is too salty to drink. (NOT The ftl(Jfef' is t66 salty '6 drill" it.) However, object pronouns are possible in structures with for.
The water is too saltyfor 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 ofyou - 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 shall be only too pleased ifyou can spend a few days with us. For too meaning 'also', see 46.
too much and too many the difference
The difference between too much and too many is the same as the difference between much and many (see 357). Too much is used with singular (uncountable) nouns; too many is used with plurals.
YDU put too much salt in the SDUp.
I've had too many late nights recently. (NOT ••• t66 much lttte nights ...)
a bit too much, rather too many, etc
Expressions which modify comparatives and too (see 140) can also modify too much and too many.
She's wearing a bit too much malee-up for my taste.
I've been to rather too many parties recently. However, much too many is unusual.
You ask far too many questions. (NOT ••• much reB mttny tp;teSHBn3.) too much/many without a noun
We can drop a noun after too much/many, if the meaning is clear. You've eaten too much.
Did you get any answers to your advertisement? '" Too many. For the difference between too and too much, see 595.2.
travel, journey, trip and voyage
Travel means 'travelling in general'. It is normally uncountable. My interests are music and travel
The plural travels is sometimes used; it suggests a rather grand programme of
travelling or exploration.
travel, journey, trip and voyage 597
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