“too...to”结构的用法剖析
2023-09-30程珊珊
程珊珊
“too...to ”结构的基本形式为：too+形容词/ 副词（for sb.）+to do sth. 。下面，笔者就“too... to ”结构的用法进行了剖析，以期对同学们有所帮助。
一、“too...to”结构表示否定意义
一般情况下，“too+形容词/副词（for sb.）+ todosth. ”这一结构多用来表示否定意义，常意为“太……而不能……”，相当于“so+形容词/副词+that...not”，也可以转换成“not +形容词/副词+enough（for sb.）todosth. ”。但需要注意的是，此结构中的形容词或副词与“too...to...”
结构中的形容词或副词互为反义词。例如：
这块石头太重了，我搬不起来。
The stone is too heavy for me to carry.
= The stone is so heavy that I can t carry it. =The stone is not light enough for me tocarry.
这箱子太小了，不能装很多东西。
The box is too small to hold many things.
=The box is so small that it can t holdmany things.
=The box is not big enough to hold many things.
她太忙了，没有时间注意到我的到来。 She was too busy to notice my coming.
= She was so busy that she didn t notice my coming.
=She was not free enough to notice my coming.
他还太年轻，不懂得处世之道。
He s too young to understand the ways of the world.
=He is so young that he don t understandthe ways of the world.
=He is not old enough to understand the ways of the world.
二、“too...to”结构表示肯定意义
1.在运用“too...to ”结构时，当too前有not， never， none， no longer等否定词修饰或不定式符号to前面含有not这一否定词时，它构成了双重否定，故而表示肯定意义，常意为“并不是太……能……”“非常（很，太）……不会不（肯定能）……”。例如：
You are too wise not to solve the problem.
你很聪明，肯定能解决这个问题。
The bike is not too old to repair.
这辆车并不是太旧，能修理好。
I was none too surprised to hear the news.
听到这个消息，我一点儿也不惊讶。
Theboyis no longertooshytoaskquestions.
这个男孩不再胆怯，敢提问题了。
需注意的是，当“too...to ”结构与 can t 连用时，常意为“无论怎样……也不过分”或“越……越……”。例如：
You can t be too careful to drive.
你开车无论怎样小心也不过分。
One can t be too faithful to one s duty.
一个人对自己的职责无论怎样忠诚也不过分。
2.在“too...to ”结构中，当 too 前面有 only， but， all， just，quite等副词时，常表示肯定意义，其中only，but，all，just，quite too，相当于“very ”“extremely”，以意为“很/非常/十分/太/极其/特别……”，具有加强语气的作用。例如：
They re only too pleased to help.
他们非常樂意帮忙。
She is but too glad to dance with you.
她十分高兴能和你一起跳舞。
It sall too easy to be influenced by our parents.
我们极其容易受父母的影响。
Jake was quite too angry to miss the first train.
错过了第一班火车，杰克很生气。
总之，在平时学习中，同学们要牢记“too... to ”结构的用法，结合具体的语境具体分析。
【练一练】
①The old man is too kind everyone in his neighborhood.
A. not impress
B. not impressing
C. not to impress
② The cupboard is not small enough to get through the door.（改为同义句）
→ The cupboard is get through the door.
【答案】①C ②too big to
