Enough and Too
Use enough and too with adjectives, adverbs, nouns, infinitives, and for-phrases to express sufficiency or excess.
Learning Objective
Enough and Too
Place enough and too correctly and distinguish sufficient quantity or degree from an excessive, often problematic degree.
Clear Explanation
Enough follows an adjective or adverb but precedes a noun. Too precedes an adjective or adverb and expresses more than is wanted or possible in context; both can be followed by an infinitive construction.
Form and Structure
adjective/adverb + enough; enough + noun; too + adjective/adverb; enough/too ... to-infinitive
“The room is large enough for everyone.”
Very strengthens a description, while too evaluates it as excessive: very expensive does not necessarily mean too expensive to buy.
Meaning and Use
Sufficiency
Enough indicates that a required level or quantity has been reached.
“She spoke clearly enough to be understood.”
Excess
Too signals that a degree exceeds a contextual limit, often preventing a result.
“It is too late to call.”
Participants
Use for + noun or pronoun before the infinitive when its understood subject differs.
“The task is easy enough for a child to complete.”
Common Errors and Meaning Traps
The bag is enough light.
The bag is light enough.
Enough follows an adjective.
We do not have chairs enough.
We do not have enough chairs.
Enough precedes a noun.
It is very cold to swim.
It is too cold to swim.
Too expresses the excessive degree that prevents swimming.
Guided Practice
Use the grammar in context
“We have enough chairs.”
“The box is too heavy to lift.”
Describe three situations with enough and three with too, including one for-phrase and two infinitives.
Quick Recap
Enough follows an adjective or adverb but precedes a noun. Too precedes an adjective or adverb and expresses more than is wanted or possible in context; both can be followed by an infinitive construction.
Enough indicates that a required level or quantity has been reached.
Very strengthens a description, while too evaluates it as excessive: very expensive does not necessarily mean too expensive to buy.
Enough follows an adjective.
Independent Mastery Check
Complete these four checks before taking the quiz. If one feels difficult, return to the matching section and try again.
Explain the core rule in your own words without looking back at the lesson.
Find the target form in “The room is large enough for everyone.” and explain what it communicates in this context.
Explain why “The bag is light enough.” is the recommended revision for “The bag is enough light.”.
Describe three situations with enough and three with too, including one for-phrase and two infinitives.
Continue at B1-B2 Level
Aim for at least 5 out of 6 in the quiz below. For every missed answer, read the explanation, return to the relevant section, and try the quiz again.
Which statement best explains Enough and Too?
Now Put It Into Practice — Out Loud
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