對我們來說,副詞too是一個司空見慣的詞,然而,對它進行總結和分析,就會發現其法。
1由 too構成的短語
too所構成的短語,常用的有如下一些:
1)all too實在太(很),all too soon /quickly太早(太快)。例如:
The holidays ended all too soon.假期結束得太早了。
2)none too一點也不。例如:
We were none too early for the train.我們剛好趕上火車。
3)only too極其,非常。例如:
We shall be only too pleased to hear from you further.我們非常歡迎你再來信。(注意這裡不是too...to...結構)
The news was only too true.這消息是千真萬確的。
4)quite too簡直太……。例如:
It’s quite too surprising!這簡直太讓人吃驚了!
5)rather too稍微……了一點。例如:
The soup is rather too salty.湯稍微鹹了一點。
6)too...to...太……以至不能……。例如:
The boy is too weak to lift the heavy box.這男孩太虛弱,舉不起那個重箱子。
當too...to...跟少數形容詞(如ready, glad,pleased,apt,willing,inclined,eager, easy,satisfied等)搭配時,不定式無否定意義。例如:
He is too ready to promise.他輕於許諾。
Beginners are too apt to make mistakes.初學者極易出錯。
He is too much inclined to give himself airs.他太喜歡裝模作樣了。
需要注意的是,too...to...的否定形式nottoo...to...的意思是"不是太……而不能"。 例如:
He is not too young to dress himself.他不是小得連衣服都不會穿。
It is never too late to learn.活到老,學到老。
在寫作時靈活運用這些短語,會使文章簡潔,含義清楚。這裡要指出的是,在以上的這些短語中,too的含義是以"太,非常"為主。too還因此形成一類特殊而重要的用法,具體如下:
2cannot(或can never)...too...表示"怎麼……也不會過分"、"越……越好"的含義。如:
1)One can never be too careful in one’s work.工作越細越好。
2)One cannot be too careful in making the decision as it was such a critical case.因為這是一個如此重要的問題,所以在做出決定時無論怎樣謹慎都不過分。
3)You cannot praise the play too highly.這齣戲你無論怎樣稱讚都不會過分。