The differences between “很” and “太”

The correct answer is B .

Zhèjiàn yīfu zěnmeyàng?
Kate：这件     衣服   怎么样？

What do you think about the overcoat?
Tài kě’ài le.
Jerry：太可爱了。

It’s too cute.

This test aims to check your knowledge of the adverbs 很 (hěn) and 太 (tài). Both are adverbs of degree, which means they modify adjectives to change the degree or intensity. 很 (hěn) means “very.”
太 (tài) means either “extremely” or “too.” If you are describing something good, 太 (tài) means “extremely,” but if you are describing something bad, then 太 (tài) means “too.” So how do you know which to use: 很 (hěn) or 太 (tài)?

Her mouth is very big!
Tā de zuǐ tài dà le!
b. 她 的  嘴 太 大 了！

Her mouth is too big!
In the above examples, a describes her mouth without any (or much) personal opinion, but b is someone’s opinion about her mouth.

This is a very good idea!
Zhège zhǔyi tài hǎo le!
b. 这个   主意   太  好  了！

This is a brilliant idea!
“太好了 (tài hǎo le)” expresses obvious excitement, meaning “extremely good.”

Zhège píngguǒ hěn dà!
这个       苹果      很 大！

This apple is very big!
Zhège píngguǒ tài dà le!
这个      苹果     太  大 了！

This apple is too big!
Now, let’s go back and take a look at the above conversation. 可爱 (kě’ài) is an adjective and can be modified by adverbs 太 (tài) and 很 (hěn). The reason that we choose “太 (tài)” as the correct answer is that there is a “了 (le)” at the end of the sentence.

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