Page 260 - Basic English Usage

348 . 262

We use this to talk about things which are happening or just going to
happen (present or future).
| like this music. What is it? — Listen to this. You'll like it.
We use that to talk about things which have finished.
That was nice. What was it? Who said that?
On the telephone, British people use this to talk about themselves, and
that to talk about the hearer.
Hello. This is Elizabeth. Is that Ruth?
Americans often use this in both cases.

The difference between this and thatis like the difference between here and
there (see 159). See also come and go (83) and bring and take (71).

348 too

We can use an infinitive structure after too.
| too + adjective/adverb + infinitive
He's too old to work.
It’s too cold to play tennis.
We arrived too late to have dinner.
We can also use a structure with for + object + infinitive.

| too + adjective/adverb + for + object + infinitive |

It's too late for the pubs to be open.
The runway’s too short for planes to land.
We can modify too with much, a lot, far, a little, a bit or rather.
much too old (NOT -verytee-ofd) a little too confident
a lot too big a bit too soon
far too young rather too often

Don't confuse too and too much. We do not use too much before an
adjective without a noun, or an adverb.
You are too kind to me. (NOT ... teemuebhkindiome-)
| arrived too early.(NOT ... teemuet-earty-)

Don't confuse too and very. Too means ‘more than enough’, ‘more than
necessary’. 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.