too III

[Anonymous]

Are these sentences correct:
1-It is not a too bad appartment.
2-He spoke in not a too unrefined manner.

3-It is a not too bad appartment.
4-He spoke in a not too unrefined manner.

 

[Tdol]

I prefer 3&4, though in 4, I'd say 'none too'. However, 'not too unrefined' is strtching lexis a bit. ;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

Are these sentences correct:
1-It is not a too bad appartment.
2-He spoke in not a too unrefined manner.

3-It is a not too bad appartment.
4-He spoke in a not too unrefined manner.

I would say "no" to all.

At least in AE, better would be:

It is not too bad an apartment.
He spoke in not too unrefined a manner. (I would rephrase this)

When we have an adjective that is preceded by an adverb (or adverbs), such as "so", "too" (possibly also with "not") we move the article to the other side of the adjective.

a bad apartment
a very bad apartment
such a bad apartment
not so bad an apartment
not too bad an apartment
so small an apartment
too hot an apartment

 

[Tdol]

I'm not a fan of thesentences, but wouldn't go so far as to say they are wrong. ;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

I'm not a fan of thesentences, but wouldn't go so far as to say they are wrong. ;-)

That's because you are more tolerant than I. :roll:

 

[Tdol]

Popes shouldn't be too liberal. ;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

Popes shouldn't be too liberal. ;-)

Nor should English teachers. :wink:

 

[Tdol]

I'm a conservative liberal. ;-)

 

[navi tasan]

Thanks TDOL and Mike.
To tolerate or not to tolerate....

 

[Susie Smith]

Are these sentences correct:
1-It is not a too bad appartment.
2-He spoke in not a too unrefined manner.

3-It is a not too bad appartment.
4-He spoke in a not too unrefined manner.

I would say "no" to all.

At least in AE, better would be:

It is not too bad an apartment.
He spoke in not too unrefined a manner. (I would rephrase this)

When we have an adjective that is preceded by an adverb (or adverbs), such as "so", "too" (possibly also with "not") we move the article to the other side of the adjective.

a bad apartment
a very bad apartment
such a bad apartment
not so bad an apartment
not too bad an apartment
so small an apartment
too hot an apartment

Hear, hear! You're absolutely right, Mike. However, despite his leniency, tdol is not too bad an English teacher. :wink:

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thanks TDOL and Mike.
To tolerate or not to tolerate....

You're welcome, Navi. :wink:

 

[MikeNewYork]

Hear, hear! You're absolutely right, Mike. However, despite his leniency, tdol is not too bad an English teacher. :wink:

He is too tolerant an English teacher, but great, nonetheless. :wink:

 

[Tdol]

I teach Britsh English, not the fossils you have. ;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

I teach Britsh English, not the fossils you have. ;-)

LOL! There is nothing more fossilized than British things. :lol:

 

[Susie Smith]

I teach Britsh English, not the fossils you have. ;-)

LOL! There is nothing more fossilized than British things. :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[MikeNewYork]

I teach Britsh English, not the fossils you have. ;-)

LOL! There is nothing more fossilized than British things. :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

:crazyeye:

 

[tejjyid]

Actually, the further a language community is away from the heart of the language, the more fossilised it remains/becomes. So the English language will probably be the last unfossilised thing about the place.