ENGLISH
REFERENCE

too long

fixed phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

fixed phr.. Used to say that something has a greater length or duration than is wanted or needed.

fixed phr.. An adverbial phrase indicating that the length or duration of something exceeds a desirable, acceptable, or specified limit.


SIMPLE

This meeting is too long.

CONTEXTUAL

I didn't finish the book because the chapters were too long and I lost interest.

COMPLEX

The silence between them stretched on for too long, becoming heavy with unspoken accusations and regrets from a shared past.

Usage

Often used to describe time (duration), physical length, or pieces of writing.

Teaching tip

Contrast 'too long' (negative, excessive) with 'very long' (neutral, descriptive); a 3-hour movie can be 'very long' but good, or 'too long' and boring.

Pitfall

The movie was too much long.The movie was too long.'Too' already means 'excessively', so 'much' is not needed before the adjective.

© 2026 English Reference