Using too and enough
The words too and enough are adverbs. Too indicates excess whereas enough indicates sufficiency.
- The tea is too hot. (= The tea is unbearably hot. Here the adverb ‘too’ indicates an excess degree of heat).
- The room is spacious enough to accommodate ten people. (Here the adverb ‘enough’ indicates sufficiency. The room can easily accommodate ten people)
Note that enough goes after the adjective it modifies whereas too goes before it.
- It is too cold to go out. (NOT It is cold too to…)
- He is experienced enough to be a good sailor. (NOT He is enough experienced…)
- She is bold enough to face the challenges.
- She was too determined to give up.
Too and enough are usually followed by infinitive phrases (to + verb).
Study the examples given below.
- Mother was very angry. She didn’t say anything.
Here both clauses have the same subject. The noun mother and the pronoun she refer to the same person. We can combine these two sentences into one.
- Mother was too angry to say anything.
When the clauses have different subjects, we will use an expression with ‘for’.
- The problem was difficult. I couldn’t solve it.
- The problem was too difficult for me to solve.
Combine the following sentences using too or enough.
1. She is very old. She cannot have babies.
2. It is very late. We cannot go out now.
3. The problem was very difficult. I could not solve it.
4. She is very clear. She cannot be deceived.
5. The hall is spacious. It can seat 500 people.
6. He is very proud. He will not apologize.
7. He was very busy. He could not talk to me.
Answers
1. She is too old to have babies.
2. It is too late for us to go out.
3. The problem was too difficult for me to solve.
4. She is too clever to be deceived.
5. The hall is spacious enough to seat 500 people.
6. He is too proud to apologize.
7. He was too busy to talk to me.
