goes in front of an adjective or a verb and says the degree is extreme: "so ... that", or "too ...". The predicate stays positive, and a second clause with て, ので or から usually gives the result.
。
I was so happy that I cried.
、。
I was so tired that I fell asleep right away.
、。
The film was so sad that I couldn't watch it to the end.
Without a result clause, it is a judgement: something is more than it should be.
あまりに or あまり～ない
with a negative after it means "not very". あまりに takes a positive predicate and means "far too".
。
It isn't very expensive.
。
It was so expensive that I couldn't buy it.
Usage notes
These go beyond あまりに before an adjective or verb.
あまりの + noun + に
Before a noun, the form is あまりの, and the noun takes に. The noun is a quality or a feeling, often with さ: 暑さ, 美しさ, 驚き.
。
It was so hot that I couldn't go outside.
。
I was so shocked that I couldn't make a sound.
あまりにも
is the same word with more force, and often carries the speaker's dismay.
、。
It was so quiet that I got uneasy.
Lingaku