Also,as wellandtooareadverbs and mean‘in addition’.
Also
Alsois commonly used in writing, but is less common in speaking.Alsooccupies different positions in a sentence.
We usealsoin front position to emphasise what follows or to add a new point or topic:
It’s very humid.Also, you can easily get sunburnt.
[on the telephone]
OK, I’ll phone you next week and we can discuss it then.Also, we need to decide who will be going to Singapore.
We usealsoin the normal mid position for adverbs, between the subject and main verb, or after the modal verb or first auxiliary verb, or afterbeas a main verb. In this position, the meaning ofalsousually connects back to the whole clause that comes before:
She works very hard but shealso goesto the gym every week.
I’ve been working in the garden this week, and I’ve also beenreading a lot.
In end position,alsonormally connects two phrases. We useas wellandtooinstead ofalso, in end position, especially in speech:
She contacted him in the office but he didn’t answer the phone. His mobile phone was silentalso.(orHis mobile phone was silenttoo. or …was silentas well.)
As well
As wellismuch more common in speaking than in writing, and is more common in speaking thanalso.
As wellalmost always comes in end position:
[In a restaurant. Customer (A) is ordering from a waiter (B)]
A:I’ll have steak please.
B:Yes.
A:And I’ll have the mixed vegetablesas well.
See also:
As well (as)
Too
We usuallyputtooin end position:
Gill’s having chicken. I’ll probably have chickentoo.
She looks really tired and she must be really hungrytoo.
Toocan occur immediately after the subject, if it refers directly to the subject. It does not normally occur after a modal or auxiliary verb. We sometimes write commas before and aftertoo:
Itoothought she looked unwell.
We,too, have been very pleased to receive the prize on her behalf.
Not:We have too been very pleased…
Toois especially common in responses to fixed expressions such as giving good wishes, and in responses consisting of a single object pronoun:
A:Enjoy the play.
B:Thanks. You enjoy your eveningtoo. (preferred toYou enjoy your eveningas well. orYoualsoenjoy your evening.)
A:I need to go to the gym.
B:Yeah, metoo. (preferred toYeah, mealso. orYeah, meas well.)
In imperative clauses,as wellandtooare normally preferred toalso:
[customer in a post office, buying books of first and second class stamps]
Give me a book of ten first and a book of ten secondas wellthen please.(preferred to …and a book of ten secondalsothen please.)
Linking negatives
We useeithernotalso,as wellortootoconnect two negative ideas:
Bill’snothere. I don’tthink Dave iseither, is he?
Not:I don’t think Dave is also/as well/too.
A:That’snotin paperback yet. It’snotbeen in any book clubseither,has it?
B:No.
Not:It’s not been in any book clubs also/as well/too, has it?
Also, as wellandtoo: typical error
We don’t useas wellat thebeginning of aclause.As wellusually comes at the end of a clause:
I just ignored it. I think everybody else didas well.
Not:As well I think everybody else did.
See also:
Either