word order - When may adjectives precede determiners? (E.g. too difficult a task)


The expression too difficult a task sounds a little pompous, but it doesn't sound ungrammatical. According to my folk-beliefs about English grammar, determiners precede adjectives. However, the expression too difficult a task seems to controvert that belief.


Additionally, the expression too difficult of a task seems grammatical too.



  1. Under what conditions may determiners precede adjectives?

  2. Are there conditions under which too difficult of a task would be a more grammatical expression than too difficult a task would be?


(This question does not ask what the question “How big of a problem” vs. “how big a problem” asks. That question does not pertain to determiners.)



Answer



This construction seems to require a modifier that makes a comparison, such as too, (not) as, more, equally, less. Intensifiers which don't have this quality don't seem to do it: *very difficult a task doesn't seem to work.


The construction with of is recent, and traditionalists don't regard it as grammatical. But it is clearly grammatical for some people (though not for me). I think it is predominently American, and I'm sure that it arose because of the unusualness of the traditional construction.


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