[General] Beginners are too apt to make mistakes．

[jiamajia]

Beginners are too apt to make mistakes．---they can make mistakes

He is too ready to promise.---he can promise

--------------------------------------

The above two sentences are from an English grammar book (compiled by Chinese nationals) indicating the structure 'too....to' has some exceptions that the infinitive part denotes a positve rather than a negative meaning.

Please confirm the way the writer uses 'too ... to' structure in the two sentences is correct. Thank you.

 

[ranok]

While the first sentence is correct, the too is not-needed as the word apt implies that mistakes will occer frequently.

In the second, the too is incorrent, I'd remove it unless it's used as a counter to an argument:
A: "He is not ready to promise"
B: "He is too ready to promise"

On its own, I would omit the too

JT
*Not a teacher

 

[emsr2d2]

Beginners are too apt to make mistakes．---they can make mistakes

He is too ready to promise.---he can promise

--------------------------------------

The above two sentences are from an English grammar book (compiled by Chinese nationals) indicating the structure 'too....to' has some exceptions that the infinitive part denotes a positve rather than a negative meaning.

Please confirm the way the writer uses 'too ... to' structure in the two sentences is correct. Thank you.

The "too...to" structure is correct, but I would disagree a little with the definition.

Beginners are too apt to make mistakes = Beginners make too many mistakes.

He is too ready to promise = he promises without thinking about it thoroughly first.

It doesn't just mean ability ("...can make mistakes"; "...can promise".)

She's far too quick to make judgements about other people = she makes up her mind (or has an opinion) about people too quickly, without giving it enough time to form a properly considered opinion.

 

[ranok]

The "too...to" structure is correct, but I would disagree a little with the definition.

Beginners are too apt to make mistakes = Beginners make too many mistakes.

He is too ready to promise = he promises without thinking about it thoroughly first.

It doesn't just mean ability ("...can make mistakes"; "...can promise".)

She's far too quick to make judgements about other people = she makes up her mind (or has an opinion) about people too quickly, without giving it enough time to form a properly considered opinion.

I prefer your understanding of the second sentence, more likely than mine.

JT

 

[jiamajia]

Is there any nuance if 'too' is replaced with 'so' in the two sentences?

Thank you.

 

[Tdol]

Prone might work better than apt.

 

[birdeen's call]

Prone might work better than apt.

What is the difference between "prone" and "apt"?

 

[Tdol]

It suggests more a of a negative tendency to me.