📘 Part of the Complete English Course · Elementary (A2), week 9
'Too' means more than is good or possible. 'Enough' means as much as you need. 'Not … enough' means less than you need.
The rules
Form
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| too + adjective | It's too hot to go outside. |
| adjective + enough | Is the room big enough? |
| not + adjective + enough | The ladder isn't tall enough. |
| enough + noun | We don't have enough chairs. |
| too much / too many + noun | There's too much smoke. There are too many people. |
Remember
- 'Enough' goes after adjectives but before nouns: warm enough, enough water.
- Add 'to + verb' for the result: too heavy to lift, old enough to drive.
- 'Too' is negative; 'very' is just strong. It's very hot (OK). It's too hot (a problem).
Listen and repeat
- The box is too heavy to lift on my own.
- Is the water safe enough to drink?
- There are too many people. Let's go somewhere else.
- We don't have enough time to wait for the bus.
Common mistakes
| Not this | Say this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| It's big enough. | adjective + enough. | |
| There are too many cars. | Countable: too many. | |
| I'm very happy! | 'too' sounds negative. |
Check yourself
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Frequently asked questions
When do we use too / enough in English?
'Too' means more than is good or possible. 'Enough' means as much as you need. 'Not … enough' means less than you need. 'Enough' goes after adjectives but before nouns: warm enough, enough water.
What are common mistakes with too / enough?
Say 'It's big enough.', not 'It's enough big.' (adjective + enough). Say 'There are too many cars.', not 'There are too much cars.' (Countable: too many). Say 'I'm very happy!', not 'I'm too happy!' ('too' sounds negative).
What level is this too / enough lesson?
It's a Elementary (A2) lesson, week 9 of the free Complete English Course. It takes about 10 minutes and ends with a quiz.