"Too much" versus "much too"

Question

This is a basic question, but I don't know if it is:

1) a too much basic question.

or

2) a much too basic question.

This answer for the difference of usage between too much and much too is awesome.
According to it I am inclined to choose the 2) because what is 'too much' is the basic (adjective) level of the question. But somehow does not sound nice.
What do you think?

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 26 '15 at 13:25

3

You're right, it's the second one

a much too basic question

which you've correctly figured out from the answer you linked because it modifies the adjective 'much'. It's completely normal English, although I agree that aesthetically it's a bit of an awkward construction.

The other option (a too much basic question) reads ungrammatically to me.

answered Sep 26 '15 at 13:25

jfhc

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just to add, for me it's the slight awkwardness of this construction which gives it weight. When you say it out loud the "much" tends to break up the flow, making it more obvious and therefore adding strength over just "too basic" – Joseph Rogers Oct 29 '15 at 16:27

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 14 '23 at 14:56

0

It's worth noting that, when an adjective is modified by "much" (and some similar words), it can go before the article. So this is also an option that some people might find less awkward:

much too basic a question.

answered Dec 14 '23 at 14:56

Mark Foskey

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 14 '23 at 15:42

Too basic = more basic than it should be.
Much too basic = a lot more basic than it should be.

Much sugar = a lot of sugar Too much sugar = more sugar than there should be.

You would use “too much” for things that can be measured if there is more than there should be.

"Too much" versus "much too"

3 Answers3

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