"Be too often"

Question

I have seen "It is too often." and I was wondering if the speech part of "often" is an adjective or an adverb? What do you native English speakers think?

And my teacher said only nouns and adjectives can be followed after verbs like "be". Do you agree with it? Thank you so much as usual and have a good day.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Anonymous"It is too often."

"Often" is an adverb.

Anonymousonly nouns and adjectives can be followed after verbs like "be".

That sounds a little too restrictive to me.
Are you talking about the specific word "be," or do you mean "any form of the verb to be"?

Edit: Woops! We have the cart before the horse. I suspect you mean, Only nouns and adjectives can follow verbs like "be."

There isn't really any other word like "be."

I'd like to be a fireman. (noun) Probably the article "a" doesn't count.
I think I'm going to be sick. (adjective)

So far, so good!

RandomGuy · Answer

AnonymousAnd my teacher said only nouns and adjectives can be followed after verbs like "be"

I will be here.

Here is an adverb.

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you both and then, "It is too often." is okay to use, right? Thank you so much again.

RandomGuy · Answer

It’s possible.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousmy teacher said only nouns and adjectives can ~~be followed after~~ follow verbs like "be". Do you agree with it?

No.

Martin is a good cook. noun
That's him. pronoun
Joseph is talkative. adjective
Frank is there. adverb
Lucy is in the kitchen. prep. phrase

Those patterns with an adverb or a prepositional phrase are usually expressions of place. They tell us where somebody or something is. But you can also have expressions of time: The concert is in the evening. The election is on Monday. When is the final exam?
And other kinds of expressions: This gift is for Paul. This buggy whip is of no use to me. The purpose of the costume is to scare the kids. The story is about an athlete.

___

"too often" is a bit strange in the sentence "It is too often", but very similar sentences are quite idiomatic.

— How often will you need us to clean your house for you?
— Once a day.
— That's too often. We don't have enough employees for that kind of schedule.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

After trying it, I decided it's too often. Once a day should be enough for anybody!

CalifJim · Answer

I can't imagine what "it" could be and still create an idiomatic sentence there.

After trying to tie my shoe, I decided (that) to tie my shoe is too often?
After trying basketball, I decided (that) basketball is too often?
After trying the stew, I decided (that) the stew is too often?
After trying kindness, I decided (that) kindness is too often?
...

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Really? As usual, we need to assume prior context.
"It" is a certain routine involving a repeating element.

After trying [doing it X times in one day], I decided that [doing it X times in one day] is too often.

"It" refers to a gerundive phrase, or a non-finite clause, if you prefer.

CalifJim · Answer

Avangigerundive

The one pattern I didn't try. Wouldn't you know it.

CJ

"Be too often"

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