Too and Enough

Too and Enough: How to Use Them Correctly in English

Hello English learners! In today’s lesson, we’re looking at two small but powerful words: too and enough. They help us describe quantity, degree, and possibility, and they appear constantly in everyday English as well as in FCE and CAE writing.

Let’s take a closer look at how to use them correctly — and naturally.

How to Use “Too”

We use too to say that something is more than necessary, more than we want, or more than is good.

✔️ Too + adjective/adverb

• That hat is too big for you.
• Simon drove too fast.
• Tara was too tired to read.
• You’re speaking too quietly — I can’t hear you.

✔️ Too much (for uncountable nouns)

Use this when there is more than we want or more than is good.

• You shouldn’t eat too much chocolate.
• Nick spent too much money on his new car.
• There has been too much rain this week.

Common mistake to avoid:

❌ too much people

✔️ too many people

✔️ Too many (for countable nouns)

• The road was blocked with too many cars.
• You’ve made too many mistakes in your essay.
• There are too many distractions in this office. Too and enough

Useful Patterns with “Too”

✔️ Too + adjective + for (someone/something)

• This dress is too big for you.
• The car is too small for the whole family.

✔️ Too + adjective + to + infinitive

• The children were too tired to play.
• Sandra is usually too busy to listen.
• It was too late to call them.

✔️ Too + adjective + for + someone + to + infinitive

• This dish is too spicy for me to eat.
• Diana speaks Spanish too fast for me to understand.
• The bag was too heavy for her to carry.

How to Use “Enough”

Enough means that we have as much as we need.

✔️ Enough + noun (before the noun)

• Are there enough plates for all the guests?
• We have enough money to go on holiday.
• Make the mixture with enough milk.

Common mistake to avoid:

❌ enough good ideas

✔️ good enough ideas (after adjectives)

✔️ Enough (without a noun)

• Three chairs are not enough.
• I can’t eat any more — I’ve had enough.
• Martha didn’t have many clothes, but she had enough.

✔️ Adjective/adverb + enough (after the adjective)

• Paul is not old enough to drive.
• She’s experienced enough to manage the team.
• Mary speaks Italian well enough to get by. Too and enough

Useful Patterns with “Enough”

✔️ Enough + noun + for (someone/something)

• Bob had enough time for a coffee.
• Is the tea sweet enough for you?

✔️ Enough + noun + to + infinitive

• We don’t have enough money to buy a house.
• There wasn’t enough room to sit comfortably.

✔️ Adjective + enough + to + infinitive

• It wasn’t warm enough to go camping.
• Brian was strong enough to lift the heavy bag.

✔️ Enough + noun + for + someone + to + infinitive

• There wasn’t enough room for everyone to sit.
• I’ll never thank you enough for your help.

Conclusion

“Too” shows excess.

“Enough” shows sufficiency.

Mastering these two small words will help you express yourself more precisely and naturally, which is exactly what you need for confident everyday speaking and for Cambridge exam writing.

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