Welcome to your English grammar lesson! Today, we’re going to learn about two very common words in English: too and very. These words help us describe things and express ourselves more clearly. Don’t worry, it’s not too difficult! Let’s learn how to use them correctly in your spoken English and everyday conversations.

What are “Too” and “Very”?

Both “too” and “very” are adverbs. This means they describe adjectives (like ‘big’, ‘happy’, ‘cold’) or other adverbs (like ‘quickly’, ‘easily’). They make the meaning of these words stronger. But, they have slightly different meanings and uses. Understanding the difference between too and very is important for basic English grammar.

How to Use “Very”

Very is used to make adjectives and adverbs stronger. It simply means ‘a lot’ or ‘extremely’. It’s a positive or neutral intensifier. Think of it as saying “really”. It’s a very useful word for English speaking learners.

“Very” + Adjective

We often use very before adjectives to make them stronger. Here are some examples:

• The coffee is very hot. (It’s extremely hot.)
• She is a very happy person. (She is extremely happy.)
• This book is very interesting. (This book is extremely interesting.)
• The weather today is very cold. (The weather is extremely cold.)
• He is a very good student. (He is an extremely good student.)

As you can see, very just makes the adjective stronger. It’s a common way to describe things in spoken English and everyday conversation.

“Very” + Adverb

We can also use very with adverbs to make them stronger. Here are a few examples:

• She speaks English very well. (She speaks English extremely well.)
• He runs very quickly. (He runs extremely quickly.)
• They learn very easily. (They learn extremely easily.)
• Please drive very carefully. (Please drive extremely carefully.)
• He works very hard. (He works extremely hard.)

Using very with adverbs helps you express the degree of an action more strongly. This is great for improving your English vocabulary and speaking practice.

How to Use “Too”

Too is different from very. Too means ‘more than enough’ or ‘excessively’. It often has a negative meaning because it suggests there is a problem because something is excessive. It’s important to understand this difference for your English for beginners grammar.

“Too” + Adjective

We use too before an adjective to say that something is more than what is needed or wanted. It often implies a negative consequence.

• The coffee is too hot. (It’s hotter than I can drink. It’s a problem.)
• This shirt is too big for me. (It’s bigger than my size. I can’t wear it.)
• The music is too loud. (It’s louder than is comfortable. It’s annoying.)
• This problem is too difficult. (It’s more difficult than I can solve. I need help.)
• The tea is too sweet. (It has more sugar than I like. I don’t like it.)

Notice how too often suggests a problem or something unwanted. It’s not just strong, it’s excessive.

“Too” + “Much” + Noun (Uncountable)

We use too much with uncountable nouns (like water, sugar, time, money) when there is an excessive amount.

• There is too much sugar in my coffee. (More sugar than I want or need.)
• I drank too much water. (More water than was good for me.)
• I spent too much money. (More money than I should have.)
• I have too much homework. (More homework than I can handle.)
• There is too much traffic today. (More traffic than is normal or convenient.)

“Too” + “Many” + Noun (Countable Plural)

We use too many with countable plural nouns (like books, people, cars, apples) when there is an excessive number.

• There are too many people here. (More people than is comfortable or expected.)
• I have too many books. (More books than I can read or store.)
• There are too many cars on the road. (More cars than the road can handle.)
• I ate too many cookies. (More cookies than was healthy or wise.)
• He asked too many questions. (More questions than were necessary or polite.)

“Too” vs. “Very” – What’s the Difference?

The main difference is the meaning. Very simply makes something stronger, in a neutral or positive way. Too means ‘more than enough’ and often has a negative meaning because it implies excess or a problem. Let’s look at some examples to compare:

• “This soup is very hot.” – It’s hot, maybe pleasantly so.
• “This soup is too hot.” – It’s so hot I can’t eat it. It’s a problem.
• “She is very happy.” – She is extremely happy, which is good.
• “She is too happy.” – (Less common, but could mean) She is excessively happy, maybe in a way that seems fake or strange. (This usage of “too happy” is less frequent than other “too” examples.)
• “He works very hard.” – He works extremely hard, which is usually positive.
• “He works too hard.” – He works excessively hard, maybe he is stressed or not taking care of himself. It’s a negative thing.

Remember, very is generally positive or neutral, while too often carries a negative connotation of excess.

Common Mistakes with “Too” and “Very”

For English speaking practice, avoid these common mistakes:

• Incorrect: “I am too happy.” (Unless you mean excessively happy in a negative way, use “very happy” for general strong happiness.)
• Incorrect: “This is very much sugar.” (Use “too much sugar” when there is an excessive amount.)
• Incorrect: “There are very many people.” (Use “too many people” when there is an excessive number, or “very many people” is grammatically correct but less common than “a lot of people” or “many people” in general positive strong quantity. For negative excessive quantity, use “too many”.)
• Remember: “Too” often suggests a problem or something negative because of excess. “Very” is just a strong positive or neutral intensifier.

Let’s Practice!

Fill in the blanks with too or very. Choose the best word for each sentence.

1. This coffee is ______ cold. I can’t drink it.
2. She is a ______ kind person. Everyone likes her.
3. The music is ______ loud! Can you turn it down?
4. He speaks English ______ well. I can understand him easily.
5. There are ______ many cars on the road today. Traffic is bad.
6. This box is ______ heavy for me to lift.
7. She is ______ tired to go out tonight.
8. The movie was ______ interesting. I really enjoyed it.
9. I ate ______ much cake. I feel sick now.
10. This exercise is ______ easy for me.

Answers

1. This coffee is too cold. I can’t drink it.
2. She is a very kind person. Everyone likes her.
3. The music is too loud! Can you turn it down?
4. He speaks English very well. I can understand him easily.
5. There are too many cars on the road today. Traffic is bad.
6. This box is too heavy for me to lift.
7. She is too tired to go out tonight.
8. The movie was very interesting. I really enjoyed it.
9. I ate too much cake. I feel sick now.
10. This exercise is very easy for me.

Use Lingofrnd to Practice Speaking!

Now that you understand how to use too and very, practice using them in your spoken English! Lingofrnd.com is an AI spoken English teacher that can help you practice these words and improve your English fluency. It’s a great way to get English speaking practice and build your confidence.

Download the Lingofrnd app today and start practicing! Download App

Keep practicing, and you’ll become more confident in your English! This lesson is designed to help with your basic English grammar and improve your spoken English.